The Eternal Struggle
by genna12001
Summary: Saxton is just your everyday girl until she starts having mysterious dreams about a death of someone she never knew. On a search to discover the truth she bumps in to someone else out of her dream and then things start to get interesting.
1. Chapter 1

**The Eternal Struggle  
**By Genna12001 (Laura Pease)

**WARNINGS**: Some Language and Main Characters Death

**CATEGORY**: Mystery

**SPOILERS**: Archangel, maybe a few small spoilers for other Eps.

**TIME FRAME**: Set twenty-three years after Archangel. Season 5.

**SUMMARY**: Saxton is just your everyday girl until she starts having mysterious dreams about a death of someone she never knew. On a search to discover the truth she bumps in to someone else out of her dream and then things start to get interesting.

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own them never have and never will, although I wouldn't mind owning Peter Wingfield.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: Feedback is always welcome. Any criticism you have or ways to improve the story will be greatly appreciated.

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**Chapter One**

The phantoms of Kronos, Horton and Richie circled the confused an angry Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod provoking him just as Ahriman wanted. Setting things in motion for something he believed would result in the Highlander's distraction enough for him to defeat MacLeod without many problems.

MacLeod was swinging his sword erratically trying to rid himself of the demon Ahriman that only he could see up until Richie saw Horton kidnapping another phantom, Joe. The blade of his sword connected with that of Kronos's and Richie's swords sending sparks flying from the connected blades.

There was something deep inside Richie telling him there was something truly wrong. There was something more here than just what he was seeing and hearing, something that was just out of his view. It felt like something was clouding his vision, blocking him from seeing the truth.

The deadly feeling that he had was making him think that whatever that something was, he was going to find out after it was too late to do anything about it.

MacLeod was becoming confused and he didn't know what to do. He could feel the blood pumping through his veins as well as the extra adrenaline. Why was this happening?

Suddenly Kronos and Horton were gone, leaving behind only Richie, looking just as confused as Mac. Without giving Ahriman the chance to manipulate him again MacLeod attacked, forcing Richie back a few paces while MacLeod raised his sword high above his head then in one swift motion he brought it down severing Richie's head from his body.

Saxton sat bolt upright in her bed as the sweat literally pooled off her body soaking the bedding. The light of the moon reflected off her glistering skin giving her a ghostly look. It was now three weeks since turning twenty-three and three weeks since the dreams had first started.

She had no idea why she was having them, but every time she did it was getting more and more intense. Things that had been missing from the first dream were revealed in the countless other dreams that followed over time; she couldn't shake the feeling that they were more than just dreams and that scared her.

She'd talked to her friend Romona about the dreams and she'd suggested Saxton write a kind of dream diary in hopes that would stop them from taking over her friend's nights, but so far it hadn't worked.

Pushing the now soaked blankets off of her, Saxton moved over to her desk switching her laptop on, knowing she wasn't going to get much more sleep that night.  
Moving back to the bed she grabbed an old sweatshirt, which was about three sizes too big for her, and quickly pulled it over her head welcoming the comfort she always found when she wore it. Feeling safe within the softness of the sweatshirt she thought about her past, something that almost felt like a dream to her.

Other than having spent her whole life in the care of a family that was kind enough to look after her while she was growing up Saxton hadn't really known what it was like to be part of a family. Yes, the Thomson's were kind enough, but she had always felt like an outsider, she never seemed to be comforted by their presence no matter how they tried to be there for her, she could always tell that they felt like it was something they had to do rather then wanted to do.

They proved to her that she wasn't really wanted the day she turned eighteen and was asked to leave them. They'd told her they had been burdened enough and they were ready to live their lives without having to worry about her.

So as soon as she managed to get a job that paid enough money Saxton moved out of the Thomson's house and moved into the small two-bedroom flat which she now shared with another friend, Samantha.

She sat back down at the computer desk, and she noticed the computer had fully booted up. Flicking throughout the folders, she came across the document she was looking for. She double-clicked on the document titled, 'Racetrack', scrolled down to the end of the document, and started to write out what she saw in that night's dream.

When she finished writing down what she had seen, Saxton closed down the document after saving the changes made to it. Clicking on the web browser she decided to go see if there was anyone online to talk to that could help take her mind off the dream.

Realising it would be a good idea to get some coffee she left the bedroom and walked towards the kitchen without bothering to turn on any lights.

After flipping the switch to the kettle she quickly got the ingredients for coffee into a cup. Once the kettle finished boiling she poured the water into the cup, grateful for the smell of her drink, which was starting to wake her up.

"Don't tell me you couldn't sleep again!" the sleepy voice of Samantha sounded from behind her almost making Saxton jump.

"Sorry did I wake you up again?"

"No. I wasn't sleeping that well myself. You want to talk about it?" Samantha recognized the tired and frustrated look on her friend's face and couldn't help but be concerned for her state of mind.

"It's nothing really, just that dream again!"

"Have you been writing them down like Rommy told you to do?"

"Yeah but it doesn't seem to be working. There's something strange about it though. It's more like I'm remembering something that happened. The more I have the same dream the more details come back to me." Saxton handed a coffee over to Samantha, then took a seat at the little kitchen table with her own coffee in hand.

"What exactly are these dreams about? You've told us it was about someone attacking you, but it wasn't you really," Samantha's face creased as she tried to remember what Saxton had told her about the dream before.

"From what I can tell I'm in some kind of racetrack. I think it's in France or somewhere like that as there's signs with writing on it and from what I remember about high school French, it looks like French. It's dark and there are noises of what sounds like metal against metal. Then there are the voices that don't make any sense so I walk towards them. When the dreams started it was just one voice sounded Scottish but not at the same time. There were other accents mixed in with it as well. As the dreams continued, that voice was joined by others, others that were harder to make out. From what I could make out, though, they sounded like they were goading on the first voice. I enter into an opened up area and see a tall handsome looking guy swinging a sword about."

"A sword?" Samantha couldn't help but interrupt at Saxton's last words.

"Yeah… Anyway he was swinging it about at nothing, until tonight that is. Tonight I saw some other people. There was a guy in his mid forty's wearing a raincoat, a guy that looked like he was in a outfit straight from the dark ages and a hair style to match, not to mention the black marking on his face. He carried a sword too; it was a mean looking one as well. Then there was me, well not me but the body I was seeing all this through it was like looking into a mirror or something, he was a dead ringer for me, well the guy's body I was seeing all this through. You know what I mean?"

"Any idea whose eyes you were seeing it through?"

"There are two names that keep popping into my head but I can't be a hundred percent I've got them the correct way round. There is the name Duncan MacLeod, I'm guessing that's the guy with the Scottish accent and a Ricky, Ricky Ryan I'm guessing that's who I'm meant to be, who I'm seeing this all it through."

"Duncan MacLeod and Ricky Ryan? What happens next in the dream?" Samantha asked, wanting to get as much information from Saxton as possible.

"The other me and the other strange men just disappear leaving me and this MacLeod, but when I say disappear, I mean – puff! - gone in the blink of an eye. Then the guy I think is Mac sees me and must think I'm one of the one's that have just disappeared. I move back a few paces but don't do anything about it to defend myself. I knew I could have, as I was carrying a sword as well, but I didn't. The last thing I remember is the sword coming down toward my neck. I think he chopped my head off!"

"You were carrying a sword as well? Why didn't you use it to defend yourself?"

"I don't know. All I remember is this feeling of someone holding my hands at my side."

Samantha sat silent for a few minutes not believing what she was hearing. How could Saxton know about MacLeod? From the description of the man she had talked about Samantha was certain Saxton was talking about Duncan MacLeod. When Saxton referred to him as Mac, though, she was absolutely positive she was talking about her teacher.

"I'm thinking about making these dreams into a story, Sam. The dream diary doesn't seem to be working, so I think I'll try another approach and try my hand at writing them like a story. The only thing is I would have to go over to France to do a bit of research. I'd like to find out if the people I've been dreaming about are real people or just figments of my imagination as well."

"Where in France would you go though?"

"Paris!"

"Why Paris?"

"I don't know. It just popped into my head when you asked where in France. It's as good a place to start as anywhere I guess."

"Guess so." Samantha was getting more and more concerned: not only had her friend spoken the name of her teacher, she was actually going to go to the same place he was just then. "How are you going to manage with the language? Last time I knew, you couldn't speak French."

Saxton shrugged her shoulders, not really sure how to get around that problem at the moment. "Buy a phrase book! Either that or get you or Rommy to come with me."

"How soon you planning on going?"

"You know I don't need to give much notice for holidays at work so I think I'll go check online see if there are any cheep flights for sometime this week. May as well do it straight away before I give myself a chance to change my mind."

"With me basically the boss of the shop I can take time off whenever I want, but I would have to get things ready for me to have time off. You could fly over on the next available flight and I could meet you in a week's time. How does that sound?"

"You would really do that?"

"Hell yeah! I would do anything to get some time off work; only thing though is I would only be able to take a maximum of two weeks off. Any longer than that and you would be on your own again."

"That's great Sam, I'll go look online now for the flights. I'll order the tickets for you as well."

"Ok then."

Saxton practically jumped out of her seat when Samantha remembered something. "Oh Sax!"

"Yeah Sam?"

"There's this great blues bar you should check out while you're over there. I've heard it the best bar in the whole of France and they speak English, so you wouldn't have a problem with the understanding them."

"Great I'll try that as soon as I get there" Saxton smiled then almost ran to her room while Samantha just shook her head and smiled at her friend's behaviour.

Once Saxton's bedroom door was closed Samantha picked up the cordless phone, which was already lying on the table in front of her and dialled a number she knew by heart.

Knowing it would be a reasonable hour in Paris she wasn't worried about waking MacLeod up. The phone rang for a few minutes before Macleod's voice answered.

"Hey Mac… how's it going over there?"

"Sammy is that you?"

"Yeah, long time no talk isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess you can call a hundred years a long time. What's wrong?"

"Nothing much. I've got a friend coming over and I'd like you to keep an eye on her, but Mac there's more."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this? Ok then, who is it? How long have they been in the game? And what am I keeping an eye on them for or from?"

"Sax isn't immortal. She's my flatmate, she's thinking about writing a book and is going over to Paris to do some research."

"That doesn't sound too bad. Why do you need me to keep an eye on her for?"

"The reason she decided to write a book in the first place is because she'd been having some weird dreams."

"So?"

"So I'm almost positive these dreams involve you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, she's been having them now for the past three weeks since she turned twenty-three. I finally got her to tell me what the dreams are about a moment ago. A few things jumped out at me, one of them been your name."

"What other things?"

"She mentioned a racetrack she believes to be in France, swords, at least three of them, one in your hands, one in a guy's hands wearing something that looked like it was from the dark ages, and another in hers, well his. You see she's seeing all these dreams through the eyes of a man she believes is called Ricky Ryan."

"Richie?"

"What?"

"It's Richie not Ricky."

"You know him?"

"I did, he's dead. He died in an old racetrack in Paris." MacLeod's voice shock slightly as he tried to conceal.

"Mac?" Samantha asked in concern noticing the tone of MacLeod's voice.

"Its ok Sam, send her over I'll keep an eye on her. I want to find out how she found out about this. There are only two other people that know about what happened to Richie and where it happened and they would never tell anyone what they know."

"Ok thanks Mac. Just one more thing before I go, who was he?"

"Not over the phone Sam. I'll tell you everything the next time I see you."

"Well that's going to be in a week. I'll be coming over but I have to get a few things sorted out before hand."

"Ok then I'll see you then."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The plane finally landed and Saxton sighed in relief. She was extremely glad that she was going to be able to get off the plane soon. Thinking she had never wanted to get off a plane so much in her life, Saxton closed her eyes and waited to be told that the passengers could leave the aircraft.

It wasn't just the usual babies crying or slightly too many people that were bothering her so much. It was the fact she had to sit next to one of the most annoying women she'd ever met in her life.

She couldn't believe how stuck up the woman was. From take off to landing, went on and on about things that Saxton had no interest in. Saxton's attempts at being polite were the only things that restrained her from telling her to be quiet.

Once off the plane she collected her luggage as quick as possible and headed straight for the car hire counter. Making quick work of hiring a car, Saxton headed to the nearest hotel, hoping she would have time to check out the blues bar Samantha had told her about.

Since she hadn't booked a hotel she stopped at the first decent-looking one she came across hoping it wouldn't cost a fortune for a simple twin room. She was lucky and managed to get a twin room at half the price she had been expecting to pay.

In the room Saxton threw her bag on the spare bed and quickly got a change of clothes out. Once the clothes were collected she headed into the small bathroom. She showered quickly and dressed herself for going out to the bar.  
Making record time, Saxton left the hotel room half an hour after she first entered it. She didn't bother with the car because she knew where blues bar was- only a short walk away from the hotel. Thanks to Samantha's directions and having driven past it on the way to the hotel, it was easy to find.  
It wasn't that dark out so Saxton didn't feel there was going to be any trouble walking the short distance to the bar. She had decided, though, even if it was only a short walk away from the hotel she would get a cab on the way back, not wanting to be walking around at night on her own.

Finding the bar exactly where she had passed it earlier that day, Saxton was slightly surprised at how busy it looked inside. From what she could see through the windows, almost every table was filled with people that looked like they were having a good time even at this early hour in the evening.  
She crossed the road and entered the bar to be greeted by the sound of blues music playing at a comfortable level by a band at the far end of the room. There was also the smell that came with all bars no matter how posh or up-beat: it was the smell of stale beer and smoke.  
She spotted an empty stool at the bar and walked over, taking a seat. It wasn't long until the bartender spotted her and came over.

"What can I get you"  
"Bottle of beer please"  
"Sure thing"  
"Hey Roy. Put that on my tab will you." An English accented voice caught the Roy's attention.

"Sure thing, Adam." Roy said a knowing smile plastered across his face as he walked away.  
Saxton turned to look at the man who had just offered to buy her the beer ready to refuse him but stopped as she found a youngish handsome-looking man. At most she would have said that he was only about twenty-five but there was something about him that made her wonder if he was actually older then that. He had short dark brown hair and the most alluring eyes she had ever seen. They were a green but as he moved his head she could have sworn that they turned a shade of gold.  
"You don't have to do that." Saxton couldn't help but smile at him and felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

"Sure I do- how can I pass up the chance of buying a beautiful woman a drink or two"  
"Well that's one line I haven't heard before," Saxton laughed nervously, her smile growing slightly letting him know she didn't mean that in a nasty way.  
"Adam Pierson." Adam held his hand out for Saxton and she took it gently, surprised at how ruff his hands felt for someone who looked like they never took their head out of a book.  
"Saxton Thomson, but you can call me Sax"  
"Saxton, that's an interesting name. I believe it means Swordsman in Latin."

"Yeah, a friend told me that a while back when I first met her"  
"So what brings you to good ol' Paris, Sax"  
"Oh that's a complicated question. Well I'm considering writing a book and thought I'd come here to do some research"  
"That doesn't sound so complicated"  
"Ahh, but there's more: it's where I got the idea for the story from that makes things complicated"  
"Sounds interesting"  
For some reason Saxton was finding it easy to talk to Adam even though she had only just met him. No matter how comfortable she was feeling with him though she wasn't going to discuss the dreams with anybody apart from Samantha and Romona. "It's not really that interesting. What brings you to Paris?" Saxton changed the subject before Adam had a chance to dig deeper.  
"Oh I'm living here for a while." Adam noticed the quick change of topic but thought if she didn't want to talk about it then he wasn't going to push her.  
"Is that what you call it? I've got your bar tab that says it's a lot more than a little while," a man who looked to be in his mid- to late-sixties interrupted Adam. He walked with a cane, which she noticed he leaned heavily on as he walked. The smile that crossed his face when he looked at Saxton showed her that he was truly a kind person and obviously a close friend of Adam's. The look he gave Adam though was one of puzzlement.  
"Joe Dawson, I hope Adam isn't bothering you"  
"No he's been a perfect gentleman." Saxton smiled back, taking the hand Joe offered and was surprised when he raised it to his lips, kissing the back gently, which made her once again blush.

"As I recall Joe you've never actually asked me to pay off my tab. I just assumed you wanted to be generous with me, being your friend and all"  
"Oh, I only tolerate you for Mac's sake," Joe smiled letting Saxton know he was only joking.  
"That's what you always say, Joe, but for some reason I've never believed you"  
Smiling again and shaking his head Joe turned around and headed towards the stage. He picked up his guitar once he'd taken a seat and put the strap over his head then his fingers moved over the instrument and music once again flowed through the bar and it was only then that Saxton noticed the music had stopped in the first place.  
Adam turned back to Saxton and noticed she had a look of concentration on her face. "Are you ok?" he asked slightly concerned.  
Saxton looked up and noticed the slight concern on Adam's face and smiled, letting him know she was all right. "I'm fine; it's just that the way you interacted with Joe just then, it just seemed weirdly familiar"  
"It did"  
Shaking her head she continued, "Don't worry about it; it's probably nothing."

"Whatever you say… So where were we? Ahh, yes I was telling you I'm living in Paris at the moment"  
"That must be nice, living in a beautiful city like this"  
"How long have you been in Paris exactly? Because I would say Paris is anything but a beautiful city"  
"I just arrived a few hours ago"  
"You've only just arrived and you came straight to a bar?" Adam couldn't help a small laugh that escaped.  
"Yeah well I think I needed it after the flight I just had. I checked into the hotel, quickly got changed and here I am trying to forget all about the slightly snotty woman I sat next too"  
"Well you picked a good bar. There's no better then Le Blue's Bar"  
"I had nothing to do with picking it; my friend that's flying out at the end of the week made me, in no uncertain terms, promise I'd come check the place out"  
"Made that much of an impression on her did we"  
"To be honest I don't think she's ever mentioned anything about coming to Paris before"  
"Then how?" Saxton noticed how Adam suddenly seemed to tense and looked over her shoulder towards the door. A moment later she felt a breeze as the door opened and then Adam seemed to relax again, smiling back at her.

She decided not to mention anything about the way he had tensed but made a note to watch for that again as there was also something familiar about the look in his eyes when he tensed.  
"Hey, Mac." Adam greeted someone who stood behind Saxton. She turned to see who was there, and what she saw had her frozen to her seat with fear. Looking up at the man she saw that it was the same man from her dreams, the one that had killed her.  
"Sax, are you ok?" Adam asked as he noticed fear clearly visible on Saxton's face. He saw that look thousands of times when he rode with the horsemen.  
Turning back to Adam she tried to smile but he could tell there was still something wrong with her. "I've got to go"  
"But you've only just gotten here"  
"Sorry… I..." Without saying another word Saxton got up from her stool and quickly walked out of the bar.  
"Way to go Highlander. I can't believe you scared her off!" Adam snarled then got up himself and followed Saxton, heading out of the bar.  
When Saxton had rounded the corner a short distance from the bar she stopped and leant up against the wall reaching into her pocket. Unaware of someone watching her, a short distance away. She retrieved her phone and pressed the speed dial to Samantha. Her heart was hammering in her chest at what she had just seen.  
"Hey, Sax. Don't tell me you need help with your French already"  
"Sam, I saw him." Saxton spoke quickly into the phone, clearly upset and unable to catch her breath properly.  
"Woah, calm down Sax. Who is it you saw"  
She swallowed a couple of times to try and calm herself down. She couldn't believe she was actually shaking. "He was standing right in front of me, Sam. I was just sitting talking to Adam and then he was right there"  
"Sax, I need you to calm down and tell me who you saw"  
"The guy out of my dream, MacLeod… I…" Saxton pursed as she realised something. "Why is it the one place you sent me to just happens to be the one place I just happen to bump into him?"

"Are you sure it was the same guy?" Samantha said without missing a beat.  
"Sam, I've been having the same dream for the past three weeks. I'm Goddamn sure it was the same person. It was the same person that cut the head off the other guy because he thought he was someone else. Samantha, you knew didn't you"  
"I had an idea of who you saw in your dream, yes, but I wanted to be sure. That's why I sent you there. I needed to know if you recognised him without me mentioning it to you." The line went dead. Saxton couldn't believe her friend.

How could she have lied to her about something like this?  
Adam, who was listening to Saxton's side of the conversation, couldn't believe what he had just heard. He was just about to go around the corner to see if she was okay or confront her, not sure which one at the moment when he suddenly felt the presence of another immortal.  
"Sam? What are you doing here? I thought you weren't flying out until the end of the week. How did you know where I was?" A thousand other questions ran through Saxton's mind at how her friend stepped out of the shadows from where she had been keeping watch.  
"Yeah well the other manager let me off the hook so I changed the tickets and got a flight just after yours. Just… Who's there?" Sam turned her attention away from Saxton to where she felt the presence the other immortal.

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A/N: - Hope your enjoying but where are all my reviews. Please review just to tell me what you think weather it's good or bad I don't mind as I just like to find out what people think.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Adam heard her call out for him to show himself. He did not know why he had stuck around when he felt the presence at first, but something seemed to have him rooted to the spot. He must be hanging around MacLeod too much he thought to himself.

Taking a deep breath he muttered to himself. "Why am I doing this again?"

In one swift motion he rounded the corner coming almost face to face with a striking blond. "What's your business with MacLeod?" he snarled.

"Well that would depend on who you are?" Samantha calmly stated not giving away anything.

"Sam, that's Adam. He was the one MacLeod come up too in the bar." Saxton told Sam as she was starting to get more confused about what was going on with every passing second.

"You were talking to him before Mac showed up?" Samantha asked in a surprised voice as she turned and looked at her friend for conformation but still kept watching what Adam was doing at of the edge of her vision.

"Yeah! What's the big deal, Sam? He only got me a drink."

"Ok I think we've established I was with Saxton before Mac came into the bar. What we haven't established though is what you want with Mac?" Adam was getting slightly impatient and he was itching to grab for his precious Ivanhoe hidden inside the folds of his coat, but didn't know if Saxton knew about immortals or not.

"What I'm planning on doing with Mac is my business. Come on Sax let go introduce you to Mac properly this time." Samantha walked past Adam with Saxton following closely behind.

Saxton throw a nervous look at Adam and it was then that Adam realised she knew as much as he did about the situation but had a feeling that it was more likely she knew less.

Following them back to the bar Adam enter straight behind them and his eyes flew to where he knew MacLeod would be sitting. When MacLeod saw who had entered the bar a grin broke out on his face and was on his feet and crossing the bar heading in their direction in less then seconds.  
Samantha smiled as well and stepped into the hug that was waiting for her. "Sammy, I thought you weren't getting into town until the end of the week."

"Change of plans. How are you doing?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Good. This is Saxton. Saxton this is MacLeod and you have nothing to fear from him."

"Nothing to fear apart from…" she was cut off as Samantha gave her a look that clearly said 'not here'.

"Lets go into the back were we can talk without having to worry about been over heard." Duncan offered then turned and headed towards the bar where Saxton noticed Dawson was sitting. MacLeod spoke quietly to Dawson then he nodded and MacLeod waved for them to follow him which they did, Saxton more then a little unsure about the whole situation.

They followed him into an office at the back, which was just about big enough to hold a desk, chair and a three-seater sofa. Adam was the last one into the room and he closed and locked the door behind him then came to sit beside Saxton on the sofa.

Samantha had sat casually on the arm of the sofa and MacLeod propped himself up on the side of the desk which was facing the sofa.

"Who's he?" Samantha asked point towards Adam.

"Samantha this is Adam Pierson. Adam this is Samantha."

"Martin, I'm going by Samantha Martin now." Samantha added as MacLeod paused not sure what name she was going by at the moment.

"What do you mean now? What other names have you gone by?" Saxton's eyes widened at her friend's confession not sure exactly what was going on.

"How much does she know exactly?" Adam asked looking between Samantha and Saxton.

"Apparently I know nothing." Saxton slumped back into the sofa a childish sulking expression her face. "Does someone want to tell me what's going on?"

"Sax, I need for you to tell Mac about your dreams. He'll need to know all the details, anything that you can remember"

"Why what's going on?" Saxton tried again, but knew she was not going to get much of an explanation.

"We'll tell you, but first please tell him."

"I don't need too!" Saxton said reluctantly as she reached into one of her inside pockets and pulled out a three and a half in floppy disk. "I saved the dream diary onto desk in case something happened to my laptop while I was travelling" Saxton confessed handing MacLeod the disk.

MacLeod took the disk off Saxton and walked around the desk taking a seat in the chair and booted up the computer. Once fully booted he placed the disk into the drive and quickly virus checked the contents before opening the file named 'racetrack'.

Adam got up from the sofa and walked around the desk to read over MacLeod's shoulder. The room drifted into silence as Adam and MacLeod read Saxton's detailed accounts of what she'd seen in her dreams.

"What are the names you know from the dream?" MacLeod asked as he finished reading already knowing that she knew his name but wanted to confirm she knew Richie's. Adam too finished reading and looked stunned over at Saxton who was starting to look increasingly at unease as the annoyance wore off.

"I never heard any name's mentioned in my dreams. The only talking I heard was you and the voices taunting you, but there was never any names mentioned."

"Then how did you get my name?"

"I don't know. I guess they just popped into my head."

"They what's the other name you know?"

"Richie Ryan!"

"How do you know that name?" Adam asked braking into the conversation.

"I don't know. It's like when you and Joe were talking earlier in the bar when I said the scene seemed familiar. When I got the names they just popped into my head." Saxton pursed for a second not sure she wanted to admit what she was going to, but decided it was better to get it all out in the open now. "I got what I think is another name pop into my head while in the bar, but it's weird. I can't even be sure it is a name but I think it is. Well to tell you the truth I got the name from when I got that flash of a scene playing out in my head about Joe and Adam, it was a name that Joe called him that made no sense at the time, but if you guys change your names too then it could mean something."

MacLeod looked over at Adam and he could tell there was a look of slight of panic showing on his features. "You can trust Samantha, Adam. It may be the case that she'll find out anyway if Saxton knows."

"You're more dangerous to be around then it's worth something MacLeod, you do know that don't you?"

"You remind me enough times, so I should think I do!" MacLeod said, turning back to Saxton he asked, "What was the name you heard?"

"Methos!"

"Damn, who the hell are these people?" Adam asked starting to pace the length of the room.

"He's Methos? But, he doesn't look."

"Look what? Strange enough, talented enough." Adam cut into Samantha's sentence getting slightly annoyed at how people viewed him.

"Well you just look like a college student!"

"Well there's nothing I can do about that." Adam snapped still pacing.

"Ok you've lost me again. What's going on here?" Saxton realised that she still didn't entirely know what was going on.

"Sam, you're her friend. She'll believe you more!" MacLeod looked towards Samantha encouraging her on.

"Sax, when you told me about the dream and especially the name of Mac, I had to be sure you were seeing the same person in your dreams that was my teacher."

"Teacher? Teaching you what?"

"For me to answer that I have to tell you something else first." Samantha paused thinking on how was best to brake the knowledge of immortals to her. "You see Sax, were immortal, we cannot die unless."

"Unless you have your head cut off! That's what was happening in that dream. You took Richie's head! You killed him!" Saxton didn't realise the hurt that she had just caused until the words were out and the look of pain and guilt had crossed MacLeod's face. "Sorry!" She quickly tried to retract every word but knew it was impossible.

"It's ok… you didn't know who Richie was." MacLeod smiles trying to reassure Saxton but it didn't work and the feelings of guilt spread through her like wild fire.

"Yes to permanently kill an immortal you have to take their head, with their head you also take their power. When you receive that person's power it is called a quickerning. Mac was my teacher, he taught me how to defend myself," Samantha explained putting a hand on Saxton's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her everything was going to ok.

"You mean you learn how to use a sword, and here I was thinking the pointy end goes into the other guy!" Saxton tried to break the tension in the room with a joke but it seemed to have the reverse effect. MacLeod's face dropped at her words, words that Richie once used, adding to the guilt he was already feeling.

"Sax, if it wasn't for Mac I would be dead over two hundred years ago now." Samantha continued to talk not missing her teacher's look at Saxton's words.

"Two hundred years? How old are you MacLeod?"

"Over four hundred"

"Oh, ok. And let me guess Adam is." She closed her eyes for a moment feeling a sudden dizzy spell come on. Adam noticed her sway and came and sat back down on the sofa. Opening her eyes she looked slightly confused fro a second then her body went limp. As she fell she landed in Adam's arms and he held close to him having the feeling he never wanted to let her go.

"Sax? Sax, can you hear me?" Samantha knelt down in front of Saxton shaking her shoulder without sharing a glance with the person that had stopped Saxton falling.

Adam checked her over and noticed that by the looks of things she had only collapsed. "She'll be fine. You two go get caught up, I'll come and get you when she comes back around."

Samantha was uncertain about leaving her friend alone with an immortal she did not know and looked towards MacLeod asking a silent question. MacLeod nodded letting Samantha know Saxton would be fine in Adam's care, which seemed to satisfy Samantha enough and she rose from where she had been kneeling in front of Saxton and Adam.

"Come on I'll introduce you to Joe!" MacLeod took Samantha's hand and pulled her gently towards the door when he saw her hesitate once again.

Once the door closed after them, Adam gently moved from under Saxton so she was lying down on the sofa and put the blanket that was on the back of the sofa over her.

He looked down at the woman in front of him unable to believe what he had just heard. There was only meant to be three people who knew what happened with Richie and she was not meant to be one of them. He was one while MacLeod and Joe were the other two, neither of whom would say anything about what happened at the racetrack that night as it was still to painful for them to remember.

Moving over to the computer Adam used Joe's login and password to effortlessly hack into the watcher database checking to see if there were any other immortals that Saxton may have been talking to in the past few weeks, since the dreams had supposedly started.

* * *

A/N: - Thanks for the reviews keep them coming. Anyone interested in been a beta e-mail me and let me know. I have lots of stories to be worked on.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Saxton opened her eyes only to close them instantly after been assaulted by a white light that seemed to be everywhere. She could have sworn it could have blinded her if she had looked at it any longer.

When she got up the courage to opened her eyes once again she squinted giving her eyes time to adjust to the bright light. What she found through as she fractionally opened her eyes surprised her. A smiling face of a beautiful woman with the deepest eyes was standing before her smiling one of the comforting smiles she had ever seen. Saxton could not help but wonder if she would be able to give Aphrodite a run for her money as she was that beautiful.

"Welcome back child." The woman spoke her voice sounding unnaturally sweet and gentle that made her sound like she was in fact actually taking to a child rather then a grown woman, which for some reason Saxton could not explain sounded almost as familiar to her as she had Adam and Joe.

"Where am I?" Saxton looked around the white room trying to get a feeling about where she was then continued. "Who are you?"

"I am Hestia, I have brought you back to me Saxton to unlock a part of your mind which until recently has been locked from your conscious memories. I believe your subconscious is telling you that you are ready."

"What do you mean?"

"You have been having dreams about people you knew nothing of until recently, have you not? These dreams are not dreams but memories of a time before you were born. What you have seen in these dreams is a life that was sacrificed for the greater good." Hestia placed a hand on Saxton check like a mother would when trying to comfort a child in an attempt to calm Saxton's fears letting her know she was in no danger.

"But, why am I seeing these things. What has this got to do with me?" Saxton felt the fears evaporate for some reason that she could not explain, but rather then easing her nerves but it did the opposite.

"The body that was sacrificed on that day at the racetrack held the soul that you now hold, Saxton."

"Richie Ryan was killed that day. MacLeod killed Richie he didn't kill me."

"Yes as I said the body which held your soul, who was named Richie Ryan was sacrificed that day, but it is his soul that is within you now."

"How is that possible?"

"I believed Richie deserved another chance at life for all he did to help his friends, as well as all the misfortune that accompanied his in his life. I wanted to give him a second chance at life. You were a body that needed a soul so I placed Richie soul within you."

"But, how is that possible?"

"Saxton, I have brought you back here to unlock the memories of Richie. I did not feel you were ready for them until today, when you were able to accept your friend's immortality, whether they be new or old I knew you were ready."

Saxton couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could this gentle person standing before her have possibly done the things she was saying she had done and seen everything she had seen which she shouldn't have seen?

"You're telling me that I'm Richie?"

Hestia smiled again and shook her head. "No my child, what I am saying it that the soul you now hold is the soul that Riche once held. You are two separate people whole held the same soul, you now and Richie when he was alive."

Saxton still didn't understand fully what she was been told but was starting to got the idea of what Hestia was trying to tell her. "So why are you unlocking the memories now?"

"Because you will need them to help you trust of MacLeod grow. MacLeod still blamed himself for Richie's death and he will need your help to lesson his guilt. If you cannot managed to lesson his guilt he will continue to think that he does not deserve to happy. As you can imagine immortals live a long lives, too long of lives to continuously blame yourself for something you had no power over."

"How can I help? I only just meet MacLeod today and I'm not that sure he believes me about knowing what I know from the dreams. If I try and do like you say he will get even more suspicious of me. I'm sorry Hestia but there's nothing I can do and I if there was I don't know if I could."

"You must gain his trust once again, Saxton. You are the only one that can do that. I'm afraid I don't have more time to explain. I must send you back now. The memories of Richie Ryan will resurface moments after you awake, do not fight them, embrace them; they are there to help you when require them. I know you can do this Saxton."

Before Saxton had a chance to reply there was a flash of intense white light, which she once again had to close her eyes to protect then from it.

Her eyes still closed she now realised she was lying down on something comfortable with something draped over her. She opened her eyes slowly and came face to face with a concerned looking Adam.

"How you feeling?"

"Fine I!" she stopped as she had a flash of memory flashed before her eyes, which was quickly followed by memory after memory. The rush of memories caused intense pain to shot through her head. The pain was that intense she didn't think she would be able to survive the experience. Bringing both her hands to her temple and crushed her eyes shoot trying to make the pain subside, she watched continues memories of Richie's life fly before he closed eyes.

The pain got that much for her that she moaned in pain, which only caused Adam to become even more concerned. He placed a hand on her shoulder and another under her chin lifting her face up so he could look at her properly although the years of Medical Training seemed no good at that moment as he seemed to have forgotten how to put it into practise.

"Sax, are you ok?" Adam's slightly panicked voice broke into her thoughts as the memories started to reseed.

Opening her eyes once again she looked straight into the depths of Adam's eyes as a tear gently made it's way down her check. The depths on concern she saw in Adam's eyes made her gasp with surprise. She remembered the shock of in Samantha's voice when she had mentioned Adam's true name and finally filly understood now why that was such a shock.

Who would ever have believed that this mild mannered, gentle man before her could be Methos?

Samantha knew that Methos was the oldest living immortal at over five thousand. Five thousands years of the world this man had seen. Civilisations rose and fell while he continued to walk the earth, continued to survive.

Saxton remembered a time Richie and MacLeod had once discussed the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She remembered MacLeod telling Richie about Kronos, Caspian, Siles and the man that Methos used to be. About what they used to do for a few millenniums while the known world was still young.

She found it hard to comprehend that the man kneeling before her with such concern in his eyes was over five thousand years old at and at one time been one of the most feared people on the face of the planet. Just the thought of all the different lives he's lived was beyond her comprehension.

She felt Adam's hand move to wipe away the tear that had continued to make it's way down her face while his eyes remained locked to hers. There was something there with the concern, something she couldn't quite make out, something that she could not quite believe was true.

Before realising what was happening Adam closed the distance between them taking her mouth in a gentle kiss, which was full of feeling. Caught in the moment Saxton responded not caring about anything other then the fact that Adam was kissing her.

It ended as soon as it started and Saxton was flooded once again with confusion. She couldn't believe Adam had just kissed her. What could a five thousand year old man possibly ever see in her?

"I sorry!" she said so softly the only reason Adam heard what she had said was the fact that he was still only centimetres away from her face.

"Sax, it's me that should apologise." Adam started, as he pulled further away from her. "I really don't know what came over me!" Adam quickly rose to his feet the reality of what he had just done hitting him full force now. He realised that he had completely mis-read the signals Saxton was sending out.

Before Adam could say anything else in a way of an apology Saxton rose from her seat and headed back into the main room of the bar. Without stopping to tell Samantha she was leaving she headed for the door trying to hold back the tears for as long as she could.

Exiting the bar she was assaulted by the cold winter breeze that was slowly making it's way through the Parisian streets, she pulled her coat closer to her body trying to keep the warmth in her as she started walking.

Now knowing exactly where she wanted to go Saxton turned the away from the bar and started swiftly made her way down the street heading the wrong direction for the hotel but the correct direction for where she needed to go.

What she did not notice in her confused state of mind though was the man hiding in the shadows who started following her from the bar.

Back at the bar Adam exited the office and walked over to where MacLeod, Samantha and Joe were sitting.

Spotting Adam heading their way Samantha rose from her seat. "Is she awake?"

"Yeah. She awake, but she'd gone!"

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" MacLeod shot a look at Adam and his voice clearly showing his annoyance that Adam had just let Saxton walk out of there.

"Just like I said gone! She ran right past you, out the door. God knows where she's gone." Adam's voice rose slightly making it clearly show his sarcasm and annoyance more. That fact made MacLeod wonder if there was something more going on here then just Saxton walking out.

"What did you do, Adam?" MacLeod moved to stand in front of Adam trying to intimidate him, which only made Adam, want to laugh at the irony.

"I haven't done anything, MacLeod. She came round and was fine for about a minute but then it looked like she was getting one major headache that lasted a few minutes. If I didn't know any better I would have sworn she was having a quickening without the lightshow. Once it looked like it was over she just up and left the office and headed out of the bar, and right past you guy may I add."

Samantha could help but be puzzled at what she was hearing. "And you just let her go?"

"What was I meant to do? Hold her down and call for you to come to keep her calm and cause a seen for Joe's customers?"

"No, but you could have stopped her from going out or at the very least you could have gone after her."

"What and have you complaining I didn't come and tell you. I'm going to go see if I can find her." Adam snapped and turned leaving a stunned MacLeod and Samantha to standing at the table while Joe didn't really know what was fully going on.

"Is he always like that?" Samantha couldn't help but ask once Adam was out the door.

"Yeah pretty much! Come on lets go check back at the hotel and see if she went back there to think things over." MacLeod gentle squeezed his once students shoulder trying to reassure her then they both headed to the exit, hoping that they could find Saxton soon.

"So when were you planning on telling her about us?" MacLeod asked as they turned to corner and on the street which headed to the hotel.

"If I was sure that it was you she was seeing in her dreams I was going to explain everything, but if it wasn't then I don't think I would have, until she had died her first death that is."

"Are you going to tell her that she?"

"No Mac. Not that. You know there would be too many complications if I did that." What else could she do? If Saxton found it this hard hearing about immortals, how would she feeling knowing that she was destined to become one if she died a violent death.

"You don't think she'll be able to handle it, do you?" MacLeod asked putting his hand on her arm to stop her walking.

"To be honest I don't know anymore. Before today I would have said yes she'd be able to handle it without a doubt, but now I don't know." It was clear to see the pain and frustration about her friend reaction clearly showing in her eyes but felt at a loss for what to do to comfort her.

"She may still surprise us all Sammy. All we can do is explain things to here and hope she understands." MacLeod pulled his friend into a hug hoping that his words and hug were enough to comfort her.

"Come on we're almost there. Lets hope she came back here." MacLeod broke the hug and started to walk toward the hotel suddenly getting a feeling deep inside that something was wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

As the cold wind blow Saxton pulled her coat once again closer to her body. It was now dark, the only light coming form the few streetlights that were dimly lit and the silver light the moon always seemed to case when if fully showed itself.

She was standing in front of the last place she would expected to find herself on visiting Paris. She was standing in front of her, no not hers but the headstone of one Richard Ryan. Why she had come here she did not know for sure but all she knew was that she seemed to have been drawn to it. It felt like now that Richie's memories had been released she felt almost curious in a morbid kind of way to see where he had been buried.

"What do you want from me?" Saxton asked quietly as tears once again started to make there way down her face causing her to shiver when her wet skin attracted the coldness more then normal.

Sinking to her knees she was once again overtaken by memories of all the times of Richie's life. From the first time he saw MacLeod, braking into his antiques store to one of his last memories, walking back to the barge after a night out with MacLeod.

"How can I trust him though? The first thing I saw of him he was killing you. Your life had just begun in more way the one. How could you still be loyal to him after all the betrayal he had done to you? It seemed every time he was taken over or manipulated by darkness, you were the one who suffered. How could you stayed by him after all he did?"

A pair of strong arms pulled her to her feet holding her tightly to the chest of some unknown person. The attacker had managed to keep a tight hold on Saxton and she felt one of the arms move and blade of some kind suddenly was pressed to her neck.

"Don't move and you won't get hurt missy" a heavily French ascent gritty voice spoke into her ear, which made her shiver with disgust.

"What do you want?" Saxton's tried to sound calm but her voice betrayed the fear that was now rushing through her body making her heart beat faster then normal pumping adrenalin through her.

Suddenly she was roughly pushed to the ground with her attacker never taking his hands off her. "I want you to stay quite and not to more! If you do you won't live to see tonight out."

God what could she do? Her mind raced a mile a minute as he moved his free hand down and started moving it under her skirt. The thought of what was happening his hard and she knew she had to do something. She had to get away from him before he could do anything.

Suddenly she got a flash of memory of MacLeod's training of Richie. Doing the simple move Saxton pushed away her attacker's hand that held the knife away from her and kicked out hitting him in the groin. She quickly got to her feet kick him once again in the groin to be sure he would stay down for at least a while then started running out of the graveyard at full speed.

All of a sudden she ran into someone, but after what had just happened to her she there was no way she was going to stick around long enough to find out if this person meant harm or not. Trying to pull away she felt arms grip her once again and once again she felt the fear rush through her.

"Sax, Sax relax it's me. It's Adam, you're safe!" Adam said trying to keep a hold on her but at the same time trying not to hurt her.

It took a second or two for Saxton to realise whom it was and relax enough for Adam to be able to let her go but she didn't move away from him, instead she rapped her arms around him releaved to have a friendly face there after what happend.

"Adam that god it's you I was so scared." Then she realised why she had come to the graveyard in the first place and the kiss that she and Adam had shared. She also remembered the fact that she had run out on him and wondered why he had followed her. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you."

"How did you know I would be here?"

"Just a feeling. If I was you in your position I think I would what to go see the grave of the person I saw die." Raising his hand Adam noticed for the first time that there was a small trail of blood starting to make it's way down her neck from a small cut.

"What happen?" He asked as he wiped the blood away with his hand.

Looking at him slightly puzzled Saxton put her hand to her neck noticing that was where Adam's attention was focused. Pulling it away she found a small amount of her own blood on her fingertips.

"You little bitch!" came the same accented voice as before followed closely by heavy footfalls. Suddenly the stiletto of a giant looking man came up the path that Saxton had just come form but now rather then holding a knife he was holding a gun.

Without thinking about it Adam pushed Saxton behind him and in another swift motion pulled out his own gun quickly taking a shot at the attacker. Saxton shielded herself as much as she could behind Adam as another shot rang out.

Once everything went quite again Saxton shakily came from behind Adam only to find her attacker lying still on the ground. "You kil. Killed him?" Saxton could not help the fact that her voice shook with fear at what she had just experienced and was now seeing.

"What was I meant to do? Plus he'll live. Come on let's get out of here before the police turn up." With that Adam gently pulled Saxton away from the temporary dead immortal.

"You mean that guy was immortal. But if he was why did he attack me?" Saxton asked as they worked towards a car.

"I don't know Sax. To be honest I'm surprised he attached you were you were."

"You mean about the holy ground thing?"

Adam stopped mid stride and pulled Saxton to a stop as well. "How do you know about the holy ground thing?"

Realising what she'd just said Saxton looked guiltily down at the ground trying to avoid Adam's questioning gaze. "You told me earlier, back at the blues bar."

"No we didn't. We didn't get that far. Now tell me who told you about the holy ground thing?" Without realising it Adam started tightening his grip on Saxton's arm until she let out a small yelp of pain. Realising what he was doing he loosened his grip but did not release her.

"Could we just go somewhere and talk about this, please?" Saxton shakily asked seeing anger flash in Adam's eyes.

"Fine, get in!" Adam swung the car door open and climbed in while Saxton got in the passenger side. Once she was fully in he slammed the door and stormed to the drivers side.

Samantha pushed the key, which she had got from reception moments ago into the door. Once the lock clicked she pushed it opened revealing the silent hotel room. The room was empty; Saxton's suitcase was still lying on the spare bed with her dirty cloths lying inside out beside the suitcase.

"Well I guess she didn't come back here!" MacLeod stated the obvious as he stepped into the room following Samantha.

"Where do you think she could have gone? She's never been to Paris before, maybe she's got lost."

"She'll be fine Sammy. Adam's out looking for her and trust me when I say that there's no one better to look for her I'm not exaggerating." MacLeod moving over to sit on the desk chair looking around the room seeing that it was untouched apart from the suitcase on the bed.

"Does she have a cell phone with her?"

"Yeah. Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Samantha quickly pulled put her cell phone out of her pocket and pressed the speed dial for Saxton's phone.

Saxton picked up her phone on the firth ring "Hello?"

"Sax? Where the hell are you?" Samantha was relived to hear that her friend seemed to be unharmed.

"Sam, it's ok I'm with Adam. I'm sorry for running off like that but there was just something I had to do."

"What was so important that it couldn't wait till the morning?"

"I had to go see Richie. Look Sam I'll give you a call back later, ok?"

"No. Sax, where are you going? Sax are you there?" the quite was replaced by the dead tone.

"She hung up." Samantha looked at the phone in her hand in disbelief. "I can't believe she hung up!"

"Where is she?" MacLeod asked trying to make sure Saxton was truly ok.

"I don't know. All she said was that she had to go see Richie and that she was with Adam."

MacLeod was shocked by that and couldn't help but ask. "What do you mean, had to go see Richie?"

"That's all she said. She had to go see Richie, it may help her to try and understand what's happening here. You know our immortality and all."

"That's it? What exactly is happening here? How could she possible know about what happened with Richie? There was only me, Joe and Adam there that day, hell the watchers don't even know what happened exactly. What I read from her little dream diary, it made me wonder if she was there. That's impossible though as she wasn't even born. In fact from the record's I've managed to check out on her since you called about her I've found out that she was born the day after Richie died."

"You think there's something going on with her? How is that possible?"

"I don't know yet. How long have you know her exactly?" MacLeod asked trying to work his mind around all this.

"I've know her since she was eighteen my friend Romona introduced us. Her parents had just told her that with her been of legal age it was out of their hands and she had to get on with her life without them. I let her move in with me because of the fact she was pre-immortal and I was looking for a housemate anyway." Samantha stopped for a moment trying to think back to the time that she had first met Saxton.

"I believed she needed someone to watch over her in case something happened to her. She's quite quiet, keep's herself to herself most of the time but I've never known her lie to me about anything that mattered. I don't believe she'd lie about something like already knowing about immortals."

"Your sure about that?"

"Positive!"

"Then what's going on Samantha?"

"I don't know Mac! I've never seen her like this before. What about your friend Methos, he is the Methos isn't he?"

"Yeah he is and as for trusting him, well let just say if it's in his best interest then he's on your side if not all bets are off."

"For some reason I can't imagine you been friends with someone like that."

"Yeah well neither could I until I met Methos. He's one of a kind that's for sure."

"Can he be trusted with Saxton?" Samantha couldn't help the concern that was clearly showing in her voice.

MacLeod laughed at that, unable how to let Samantha know what he'd seen in Adam's eyes when he walked into the bar earlier on that night he stopped himself from saying anything for a few moments.

"I'd have to say you could trust Methos with Saxton's life. She, I believe he would class as in his own interests." MacLeod said a smile clearly plastered on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

Samantha was puzzled, not understanding what MacLeod was implying. "Mac, what are you talking about?"

"I believe it would be a safe assessment to say that Methos is attracted to Saxton."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Adam opened the apartment door letting Saxton enter before himself. "Make yourself at home. I'm just going to go get out of these clothes and get a shower to wash this blood away." Adam said as he walked further down the corridor.

"What? Wait what blood?" Saxton could understand where any blood came into this.

"I got shot! Ruined a bloody good sweeter as well if I say so."

"You got shot? Are you ok?" Saxton could not hide her concern in her voice at finally seeing the bullet hole surrounded by dried blood which cover most of Adam sweeter starting at his left shoulder.

Adam couldn't help but smile something deep down inside him suddenly felt warm knowing Saxton had felt concern for him. "Don't worry about it Sax, it's already healed. Kitchens through there if you want a drink. I won't be long."

Adam turned back around then disappeared down a hallway and into a room, closing the door behind him. Saxton looked at the room Adam had pointed out as the Kitchen and considered going to get a drink but she suddenly felt drained of all her energy. After the long flight and then the attack in the cemetery she found herself battling to keep her eyes open.

Sitting down on the sofa Saxton leaned back into the soft cushions and closed her eyes glad to be finally able to just relax after the day's activates and revelations.

Feeling refreshed from the shower and wearing some a pair of clean jeans and another sweatshirt Adam walked back into the living areas. Spotting Saxton sleeping on the sofa, Adam shook his head and headed for the phone and dialled MacLeod cell number.

"MacLeod!"

"Mac, its Adam."

"What's wrong Adam? Is Saxton ok?" Across the hotel room Samantha looked up from where she was just making up some drinks for herself and MacLeod when she heard Saxton's name mentioned.

"She's fine. In fact she's fallen asleep on my sofa."

"What are you two doing at your place?" MacLeod couldn't help the twinkle that appeared in his eyes. Samantha tried to hide a smile at thought of what her friend could be getting up too.

"It's not what you think MacLeod. I had to come back and get changed, an immortal attacked Saxton in the cemetery. She got away and bumped into me. We were just on our way out of there when the immortal rounded the corner with a bloody gun in his hand and shot me."

"Is Saxton ok?"

"Like I said MacLeod, she's fine. I got her behind me, hence me getting shot, at least I managed to shoot him back."

"What's an immortal doing attacking a pre immortal? On holy ground no less."

"Holy ground? What happened?" Samantha couldn't help but asked, happiness for her friend instantly turning to concern.

"Saxton's fine Sam. She's still with Adam." MacLeod tried to reassure Samantha while trying to keep hold of his phone as she tried to take it off him.

"So what's the big problem, Adam?"

"We stopped off at my place so I could get a shower and changed out of my bloody clothes and as I was changing she's fallen asleep."

"She's fallen asleep?"

"Yeah asleep, MacLeod. As in sleeping, Slumbering, snoozing, grabbing some shut eye. I really don't want to wake her after all she's been through today so could you let Samantha know she won't be coming to the hotel tonight. We'll meet back up at your barge tomorrow and discuss everything then ok."

"Ok then, are you sure your ok with having her stay there?"

"I'm sure Mac. I'll take her to the spare room in a second so she'll be more comfortable."

"Ok then. I'll talk to you tomorrow then."

Adam hung up the phone and moved over to the sofa standing in front of Saxton he couldn't help but shake his head. "You may as well stop pretending I know you're not asleep."

Saxton could not believe it, after all he had just told MacLeod over the phone, she could not believe he knew she was pretending to be asleep. She opened her eyes slowly and looked sheepishly up at Adam, "How come you just told Mac I was asleep if you knew I wasn't?"

"Because we need to talk!"

"What about?" Saxton said trying to put off the inevitable as long as possible.

"About how you know about the holy ground thing."

"Oh that. I was kinda hoping you'd forgotten about that."

"No and to be quite honest I've had enough of all this. I want the truth and your not going anywhere until I get answers, even if that means missing meeting Mac at the barge tomorrow morning "

"Adam please, I'm still trying to work things through myself. All I can say is that when I was told in the bar about immortals, it was the first time I've heard about them." Saxton said pleading for Adam to understand.

"Then how did you know about holy ground been a refuge for immortals?" Adam looked more annoyed. Why was she still not telling him truth?

"You wouldn't understand!"

"Try me!"

"Fine, but if you don't believe me I. Just believe that I'm telling the truth."

"It can't be that unbelievable."

"I hope you say that after hearing my story." Saxton sighed trying to think of where to start. "Ok, well when you guys told me about immortals I kind of."

"Collapsed" Adam shot at her and noticed her wince at the thought or maybe the memory.

"Yeah, well you see it wasn't like I just collapsed, something strange happened. I'm note sure if it was a vision or whatever but I found myself standing in this room which was completely white, hell it was that white I think it almost blinded me when I first opened my eyes." Saxton was carefully watching Adam for any reaction but his face gave nothing away.

She hesitated for a minute not sure if he already thought she had lost her mind or not. "Go on continue." Adam said in a flat tone. Like his tone his face still not giving anything away.

"Well, I opened my eyes for the second time and found that there was this woman standing in front of me. I could tell that she was trying to reassure me that I was in no danger and for some unknown reason I believed her. She looked familiar but I had no idea where from. I asked her where I was and who she was and she replied saying she was Hestia and she'd brought me back to unlock a part of my mind." She finally saw something in Adam's face, which encouraged her to continue.

Feeling slightly better Saxton continued. "She went on to tell me about how I was dreaming of a time before I was born. She said something about a life that was sacrificed for the greater good. Hell if I knew what she was talking about just then, all I remember dreaming about is a whacked out MacLeod killing Richie. I wanted to know why I was having these dreams and she. She."

How was she going to tell him about what Hestia said next?

Adam noticed her hesitation and moved over to sit next to her on the sofa. "What did she say Sax?" Adam asked already knowing deep down what she had been told.

Saxton looked into Adam's eyes tears glistering in her own. Her throat felt constricted and she breathed hard and fast. She could feel her heart beating faster in her chests, it was beating that hard it felt like it was going to burst from her chest any moment.

"She said that, that the person which was sacrificed had the soul that I now carry. That I had their soul."

"You have Richie's soul?"

Unable to find the word Saxton nodded her head in agreement.

"What else did she say?"

"I. Adam I can't!" Saxton tried to brake out of Adam's arms the whole thing getting too much for her. It had only just finally fully hit her what Hestia had said.

How was she meant to explain that she and Richie were one in the same? That she held all Richie memories; remember what he felt about everything in his life.

How would anybody be able to understand that when she couldn't comprehend it fully herself?

Adam once more that day forced Saxton to look at him, he reassured her that he was there and that everything was going to be fine. "Sax, please I need to know. Whatever you say I will believe you. Please trust me."

Seeing only sincerity Saxton composed herself and tried to calm her breathing. Finally under control she continued.

"She brought me there to unlock Richie's memories. Adam I remember everything. I was Richie Ryan and that's why I was having those dreams. The memories where trying to brake free. I remember the first time Richie met you, you had MacLeod blade at your throat. Once I knew it wasn't a real fight I almost forgot you where there as I was so excited about Kristine." Adam noticed how she used the term as she was there rather then Richie but did not dare to point it out to her.

"That's why you went to go see Richie's grave isn't it?"

Saxton nodded again.

"And why you know about holy ground been a refuse?"

"And how I managed to get away from that immortal." Saxton smile slightly glad she had Richie's memories about MacLeod's training.

"Yeah, how did you manage to do that?" Adam asked feeling slightly puzzled by the fact she managed to get away from an armed immortal while she herself was un armed.

A small smile grew slightly at Adam's question and the puzzled look on his face. "I remembered some of the training sessions MacLeod and Richie had. If it wasn't for that I don't think I would have got away and he would have." She could not continue. The thought of what the immortal was about to do when she got away from him was too much.

"I would have been there in a moment or two. I was almost there remember, I would have helped you."

Saxton didn't point out that she was only moments away from been raped and pushed that thought to the back of her mind. "He was going to kill me wasn't he. No matter what he said about me co-operating with him, he was going to kill me wasn't he?"

"I don't know for sure, but I'm glad we didn't have to find out. Come on let get this cut cleaned up." Adam said getting up from the sofa and pulling her with him.

"Adam?" Saxton pulled him to a stop wanting to make sure of one last thing.

"What's wrong?"

"I need to make sure you don't tell MacLeod. I will tell him in my own time but I still need to work things through before I do. You know how sceptical MacLeod usually is about things like this."

"I won't tell him anything Sax."

"Thank you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

There was something deep inside Richie telling him there something extremely wrong. There was something more here then just what he was seeing and hearing, something that was just out of his view. It felt like something was clouding his vision, blocking him from seeing the truth.

The deadly feeling that he had that was making him think whatever that something was, he was going to find out when it was too late to do anything about.

Suddenly the phantoms were gone, leaving behind just Richie and MacLeod alone. Without giving Ahriman the chance to manipulate him again MacLeod attacked, forcing Richie back a few paces while MacLeod raised his sword high above his head then in one swift motion he brought it down severing Richie's head from his body.

Richie blinked shocked at what had just happened to him. He remembered Mac's blade coming down and then suddenly he was here, in a bright white room. Looking around he saw nothing there.

The disembodied voice of a gentle spoken woman broke into his thoughts. "Welcome, Richie."

"Who's there?" Richie looked around desperately looking for the source of the voice but couldn't see anyone.

"Do not be afraid, I will not harm you."

"Why don't you show yourself then?" Richie spat out still looking around frantically.

Just then a strikingly beautiful brunette woman stood before him with a comforting smile on her face and eyes that went on forever.

"Where the hell am I?"

"Where you are does not matter."

"Who are you then?" Richie asked putting his hands on his hips getting slightly annoyed with the woman's refusal to tell him anything.

"My name is Hastia. You were brought here Richie because you have died."

"Died. How is that possible if I'm here?"

"Your body has died, it is your soul that is here. I have brought you here so that your soul can begin its new journey."

"What do you mean? I thought you said I was dead?"

"As I have said your body no longer lives but your soul still lives. There is a body that is waiting to receive your soul. There is something that I must inform you of before I place your soul in that body."

"What's that?"

"Because of the sacrifice you have given, the body I am blended your soul with will also be destined as you have been. She will have the possibility to become immortal. I will also be giving her your memories. Everything that you once were will be given to her. Those memories will be locked away inside her mind until I believe she is ready to hear the truth."

"So?"

"It is time to start your new life, I wish I had time to explain more to you about what is to happen but we have run out of time."

Once again Saxton sat bolt upright from her dream, her breaths were heavy as she tried to stop the tears from falling. There was silence all around her and it took her a few moments to realise that she wasn't in her own bed.

Pushing the covers of herself she wished that she was back at the hotel were Samantha would be there to comfort her and reassure her that it was all just a dream. That was not the case now though; she knew the dreams were memories, which made the reality of what she sees almost every night all that more sickening.

She was wearing an old T-shirt of Adam's, which came to mid thigh and was about five sizes too big. For someone so small she was surprised to find out he had a lot of larger sized clothes.

Walking out of the spare bedroom Saxton walked into the darkness of the hallway. She stood still for a few minutes waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness not wanting to wake Adam by turning on a light. Once her eyes had adjusted enough for her to see where she was going she walked down the hall and towards the kitchen.

She started to open cupboard doors looking for a glass and finally found them on the third try. Filling the glass with water out of the tap Saxton leaned against the side as the images of the dream once again flashed before her eyes.

The sudden feel of bile rising within her Saxton placed the glass on the side and rushed for the bathroom, just reaching it in time.

"Sax, are you alright?" Adam's concerned voice came from the doorway.

Pulling herself together Saxton nodded her head to let him know she was fine, although she knew he knew it was a lie. Not believing her Adam wet a cloth then moved over to Saxton handing her the cloth so she could wipe her face with it.

"You want to tell me what's the matter?" Adam asked noticing her tear stained face.

"I had another dream, the same as before but there was more of it this time. I saw after he died. Hestia brought him to her, told him what was going to happen. Told him that I was going to get his soul." Saxton cried once again at the thought of what Hestia had told Richie.

"But surly that couldn't have been that bad?" Adam was slightly puzzled at that, why was she been sick because Richie found out what was gong to happen to his soul.

"Give me a minute Adam. I want to get cleaned up a bit more. I'll be out in a few minutes, just." Saxton struggled to get to her feet and ended up been helped up by Adam who left her to get cleaned up once he was sure she was not going to fall.

She quickly got cleaned up, washing her face and brushing her teeth with a toothbrush Adam had given her earlier on that night. Once she felt better she headed out to into the living area finding Adam had turned on all the lights and was sitting patiently on the sofa.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah a lot better, thanks!" Saxton put a smile on her face trying to reassure him that she was fine.

"Do you feel like you can tell me the rest now?"

Saxton moved and sat on the sofa next to Adam knowing that she was going to need comforted and knew that he was going to be more then willing to comfort her.

"Ok, as I was saying Hestia told Richie that I was going to be getting his soul. What she also said was that I was going to have to possibility to become immortal like him."

Adam didn't know what to say, he knew she was going to become immortal but he could not remember ever coming across a pre immortal who knew about there own possible immortality.

"Adam? Is it true? Am I destined to become immortal?" Tear started to sting her eyes again at the thoughts of becoming immortal, of having to fight in order to survive. She remembered how Richie had always dreamed of becoming immortal before that dreadful day he got shot and killed for the first time.

For Saxton though the thought of becoming immortal scared her. She knew the dangers of becoming immortal, the content looking over your shoulder afraid that you'll meet a challenge that would be your last. The thought of having to kill to survive, the thought of watching the people you love grow old and die while you stay young forever until you lose your head.

Never having the possibility of dying a peaceful death, knowing that the only way your going to die was in combat. The thought of never been able to trust another immortal one hundred percent with your life as it all came down to one thing, 'there can be only one!' that was proven when MacLeod took Richie's head that day at the racetrack.

She looked up into Adam's eyes and seeing that it was true, that if she died a violent death she was going to become immortal. The dam broke and the tears flowed freely down her face as she become lost in though. Scared of what could have happened earlier that night in the cemetery if she had been unable to escape from the immortal that had attacked her.

Adam could clearly see that she was at the point of braking so he pulled her into his arms while she cried and got most of it out of her system.

It was about half an hour later when Saxton finally started to calm down and her body stilled against his and he realised that she had drifted off to sleep.

In one swift motion Adam gently lifted her in his arms and carried her back to the spare bedroom. He lay her down on the bed and started to pull back but she would not let go of him. Not knowing what else to do Adam lay down beside her and watched as she slept peacefully.

It was about half an hour later when Adam finally managed to drift off to sleep himself, Saxton's arms still rapped tightly around him with her head on his shoulder.

For the first time since turning twenty-three Saxton managed to get some well deserved and highly need peaceful sleep. Adam hadn't felt this at ease since meeting Alexia and was enjoying every peaceful moment while it lasted.

Hestia watched over the sleeping Saxton glad that she had found the possibility of happiness. Feeling anxious about what she knew was to come but at the same time she felt relieved that the friends were now all back together with only two still to become involved.

Thankful that everything had worked out ok after Saxton latest dream, Hestia gentle moved a lock of hair from her face and smiled at the peaceful look that replaced the normal look of tension normally there. In a blink of the eyes she was gone.

Adam opened his eyes and looked at the space where Hestia had moments ago almost positive he had felt something that forced him to wake.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

MacLeod was sat at the kitchen counter of his barge when he felt the presence of another of his kind. Knowing it was more then likely Adam as they had arranged to meet he relax slightly but never let his guard down. His katana with the handle of ivory carved in the shape of a dragon was propped up at his side in case it was not his friend but someone looking for an easy head.

The front door opened and Saxton and Adam stepped in. Adam looking his usual calm and collected self and Saxton still look slightly uneasy to be around MacLeod.

"So glad you decided to show up this time," MacLeod said as he got off his stool and walked towards the refrigerator getting Adam a beer. "Do you want anything Saxton?" MacLeod asked before he closed the door.

"If you've got some juice that would be nice," Saxton replied taking in every detail of the inside of the barge noticing that from Richie's memories it looked exactly the same.

MacLeod noticed Saxton's interest in the barge but didn't mention anything about it. He handed Adam the beer who promptly twisted of the lid and then walked over to Saxton who had walked over to the chessboard and picked up the white queen.

Handing her the glass of juice and motioning for both Adam and Saxton to sit down on the sofa. While they took the seat Duncan walked back to the kitchen counter and picked up his own glass of juice then walked back and sat in the chair opposite.

"So is someone going to tell me what happened last night? Why was an immortal after you Saxton?" MacLeod asked watching Saxton for any sign that she may be lying about anything.

"Can we please wait till Sam gets here it'll save me from repeating myself." Saxton hesitated to tell the true so tried to buy herself some time to think of a explanation that wouldn't sound to obvious.

"Well she'll be out in a bit!"

Saxton looked puzzled towards MacLeod. "What do you mean be out in a bit?"

"He means when I finish getting changed I'd be out." Samantha smiled over to Saxton as she exited the bathroom.

"What are you doing here?" Saxton couldn't believe her friend had just come out of Mac's bathroom, after getting changed no less.

"I checked us out of the hotel, Mac offered me the couch for the night, I guessed you'd be spending most your time with Adam."

"You checked us out of the hotel?"

"Yeah. I've got some friends I'd like to visit for a few days. Mac said Adam wouldn't mind you stopping at his place for the duration of your stay, so I didn't see the point of you spending the money on a hotel when you didn't need it."

Saxton could not believe what her friend was implying by checking her out of her hotel. "You checked me out of the hotel?"

"I think we established that point. So you going to tell us what went on last night, and I think more importantly why were you in a cemetery?" Samantha asked then stuck a peace of toast in her mouth, which she had picked up off the kitchen side on the way to where the group were sat.

"Oh that, well I had to see someone."

"In a cemetery?"

"Yeah well that's generally where you find people that's been buried. I went to see Richie."

MacLeod they had said she went there when they had spoken over the phone last night but hearing it person made it all the more real. He could not believe would Saxton want to go visit Richie grave.

She didn't even know him. The only reason she knows he ever existed was the fact that she had been dreaming about his death for the past three week.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just had to see his grave with my own eyes to prove the fact that he was real I guess. Other then that, I don't know why."

"But why go at night? That was just stupid!" Samantha could not help the mothering instincts that kicked in after hearing that Saxton had put herself in that much danger.

"I'd have thought you would understand Sam. I had to see it for my own eyes. See that he was real."

"Have you any idea how dangerous that was?" Samantha voice portrayed her anxiousness as she rose from her seat and started to pace the length of the living area not bothering that she was replacing herself.

"Sam, I'm sorry ok. I didn't realise it at the time, my mind was on other things. It was just something I had to do to clear my head. I had to talk to him, even if it was just to a headstone I was talking to. I had to ask why he put himself in danger to help a friend. I had to know. Can't you understand that?"

"But you could have been hurt or worse killed."

"I got away."

"But how? What happened exactly?"

"Come sit back down and I'll tell you." Saxton waited for Samantha to retake her seat then continued with her story. "I was stood at Richie's grave talking to him when he up behind me and grabbed me putting a blade to my throat. To be honest I thought I was going to die right there and then. Next thing I know he had pushed me to the ground and I guess I must have remembered some of those moves from the self defence class I took while I was at school because I just kicked out I guess and he dropped his defences for a second giving me enough time to get away."

Saxton looked around casually to see if everyone had bought the reason for knowing some self-defence. Once she was sure they had she continued. "Once I was free of him I ran. I mustn't have been really paying much attention as the next thing I know is I'm rounding a corner and run into someone." Tears were slowly starting to make there way down her face. The realisation of how close she had come to death, or immortality as she had just recently found out was scary.

"Sax?"

Shaking her head Saxton tried to calm herself so she could continue but when Adam noticed it wasn't working he took over the story. "It was me she ran into. She was panicked and I really manage to get much out of her. I was just about to take her to the car when I felt the presence. He came barrelling round the corner with a gun. I shoved Sax behind me and when he shot he got me in the shoulder, I shot back and killed him, albeit temporarily. That's about it."

"That's it?" MacLeod asked having a feeling that there was more going on with Saxton and Adam then what they were saying.

"That's it, I said there wasn't anything to worry about." Adam put his innocent face on and tried to reassure MacLeod that way.

"So why was immortal going after Saxton?" MacLeod asked watching Saxton for any sign that she knew what was going on.

"Mac?" Samantha asked not liking where MacLeod was going with his questioning.

"No Sam, there's more going on here and I want to know."

"You want to know what's going? Well I'll tell you, why the hell do you think he was going after me. Was it my charming personality? No I very much doubt that. What it the fact that he likes attacking people? Could be, but still it doesn't sound right. Maybe, just maybe could it have been the fact that he wanted to kill me drag me off holy ground then take my head for my quickerning? Yeah it would have only been a weak one but still every one counts." Saxton had gone from been upset about been attacked to red faced angry at MacLeod accusations.

Standing up from her seat she stood straight backed and looked MacLeod in the eyes showing that what she was tell was the truth. "What is it with you MacLeod, you seem to think that there's something going on here, more then meets the eye. Well you want to know what that is? Fine I'll tell you, the fact is that I saw you kill the person that was more like a son to you then anyone you've had lately. I've felt the loyalty that Richie felt for you and still you killed him, yeah granted you thought that he was just another mind game thought up by Ahriman but still, YOU KILLED HIM!"

MacLeod rose from his seat and they were now standing about a meter away from one another starring each out in the eyes, anger visible in both there feathers. "How dare you judge me? You don't know me and you didn't know Richie. You turn up in Paris and then have the audacity of accusing me, judging me. Well I'm not standing for it any longer. I loved Richie like a son and I would have died for him. You want to blame somebody. Blame Ahriman! You want to judge someone. Judge Ahriman! Ahriman killed Richie."

A cold laugh left Saxton mouth as she laughed vindictively in MacLeod's face. "Oh so it was Ahriman's Katana that sliced through Richie's neck!"

"Get out!" MacLeod demanded his eyes turning black with anger.

Adam had only seen MacLeod eyes like that once before, the time he encountered MacLeod during his dark quickerning. Saxton also recognised the look and the memory of the time Joe had saved Richie's life by shooting MacLeod before he could make the final swing towards Richie's neck with the Katana, the same Katana that finally did make that fatal swing.

Saxton swayed under the force of the memory and Adam was on his feet in no time what so ever to catch her before she fell to the ground. Adam held her to him and could feel the wetness of tears socking in to his shirt. She shook in his arms and he could not be sure whether she was shaking from crying or from anger.

Samantha looked on at her friend unable to comprehend what she'd just witnessed. Why had Saxton gone up against MacLeod like that for what seems like no reason. MacLeod looked on as unsure about what just happened as Samantha but still slightly annoyed by Saxton's actions.

They watched in silence as Saxton continued to cry into Adam's chest, unable to truly believe what they were seeing. It was a good ten minutes before they all heard Saxton's quite words, even though they were slightly smothered as she had her mouth to Adam's chest. "How can she expect me to forgive him when it wasn't the first time he went after Richie?"

"Sax?" Adam asked lifting her head to face him.

"What she's asking I can't do. I can't forgive him. I've seen another time Adam, and even then that still wasn't the only other time. He's gone after Richie's head more then once it's just that he succeeded at the racetrack that night."

"How the hell? Who are you really?" MacLeod looked shocked at the realisation of what Saxton was saying.

"You want to know something MacLeod? Your not worth any of this, your not worth the effort." Saxton pulled out of Adam's arms and headed for the door.

* * *

A/N: - Sorry for the delay but I've just started a new job and I haven't had much time to update lately.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Saxton had just reached the top step when a figure appeared in front of her.

"Saxton you do not mean the things you said" Hestia said placing a hand on Saxton's cheek.

"Who the hell are you?" MacLeod asked in amazement at the woman who just appeared out of thin air.

"I am someone who is trying to help all of you Duncan MacLeod."

"You still haven't answered by question, who are you?" MacLeod stepped forward wanting an answer.

"I am Hestia"

"Hestia! Your Hestia?" Adam came up behind MacLeod.

"You know her?" MacLeod asked turning surprised to Adam's reaction.

"Know of her MacLeod."

"It is good to finally meet you Methos."

"Would someone like to tell me what's going on here?" Duncan asked still not sure about what was actually happening.

"No!" Saxton almost spat at MacLeod then turned back towards Hestia. "Move out of my way Hestia, there's nothing you can say that's going to change my mind on this matter."

"It doesn't matter that you need to help someone? It doesn't matter that you will let a man you used to call friend die believe things that you know not to be true? It doesn't matter that you'll just run out on problems that need to be solved?" Hestia asked her face taking on a look of grave concern.

"There is nothing I can do here. I have tried to find reason to forgive but I can't. I'm sorry Hestia but I think you've come to the wrong person. Please, move out of my way!" Saxton asked tears pricking at her eyes threatening to fall.

"Saxton, I have never made a mistake in my chooses. I know you know in your heart that you must forgive. It is your anger that is fuelling you at the moment. You need to let go of that anger and confront the truth."

"For god sake Hestia, I can't. Please just let me pass."

Hestia bowed her head realisation finally hit that she couldn't do anything to help Saxton realise what she truly felt. She only hoped that Saxton realised it before it was too late.

Hestia stepped aside and let Saxton pass. Saxton was out of the door as fast as she could once her path had been cleared. MacLeod still waiting for answers as to who Hestia was and why she had just literally appeared in his barge couldn't help asking the question once again. "Ok, who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing here?" Everyone present could tell that MacLeod's voice was clearly showing his annoyance.

"As it has already been pointed out my name is Hestia. I have come here Duncan MacLeod to try and resolve a problem that needs to be resolved before something that shouldn't happen, happens."

"If it shouldn't happen why is it happening in the first place?" MacLeod sceptically asked.

"It is happening because evil wishes it to."

MacLeod couldn't help but note the matter of fact way that Hestia spoke which for some reason caused a shiver to run down his spine.

"Oh great that's all we need is for another run in with Evil and MacLeod to run in like the Boy Scout he is trying to save the day." Adam almost spat as he picked up his coat off of the chair and shrugged it on. "I'm outta here." Adam not wanting to get stopped by Hestia like Saxton had decided to leave by the door in the bedroom area of the badge.

"There is nothing more I can do here. MacLeod, listen too your heart and know that what people say in anger is not what they truly mean. You did not know what you were doing, you were manipulated by evil, Saxton knows that deep down. Believe in your heart that what you did wasn't your fault." Those were the last words spoken by Hestia before the image before MacLeod and Samantha had faded away leaving a pair of very shocked immortals.

Once Saxton reached the top of the wharf she realised that she had nowhere to go. All that she had brought to Paris with her was still on MacLeod's barge. Samantha had checked out of their hotel room, and Adam was still with MacLeod, hence no way for her to get back into his apartment.

The thought of the Joe's blues bar dashed into her mind, it was the first place she had first met MacLeod and Adam, in this incarnation at least and then remembered how Joe was from when he knew Richie. The thought of having a possible friend sprung slight hope into Saxton and she wondered if it would be open at this early an hour, the prospect of a stiff drink was very appealing as well.

Knowing which direction to head in thanks once again to Richie's memories Saxton headed in the direction of the Le Blues Bar in hopes to getting that stiff drink and hopefully a friend to confide in.

It wasn't long before she was once again standing out front of Le Blues Bar but this time the inside was empty and the lights turned off. Disappointed to find that it was closed Saxton started walking not realising where her feet were actually taking her before until it was too late. She found herself standing in front of Adam's apartment building knowing that deep down she had to talk to someone and Adam was as good as anybody. Knowing that she would have to wait for Adam to return she was just about to sit on the steps when a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Sax, is that you?" Adam asked noticing her just standing there with a frown on her face and a sad look in her eyes. He could tell she wasn't paying him any attention, as she looked like she was just about to take a seat on the steps before he spoke.

"Adam?" Saxton quickly looked up slightly startled noticing Adam for the first time. "I thought you'd be still with MacLeod?"

"I left not long after you, Hestia hinted at another of MacLeod's Boy Scout stunts and I decided to get outta there before he tried pulling me into his plans." Then giving her a puzzled look asked, "What are you doing here? I thought this would be one of the last place you'd want to be."

"Where else can I go? Samantha checked me out of my hotel. All my things are still at MacLeod's and even Joe's blues bar's closed so I can't get drunk and drown my sorrows."

"You know drowning your sorrows never really works."

"Yeah but it's always worth a shot! Hell, at this point I just wanna go home and forget I ever met MacLeod. If I could ever forget coming to Paris I wouldn't look back. All I've done since getting her is find out I have the memories of someone who died twenty three years ago, find out I'm going to end up immortal if I'm unlucky enough to die a violent death. I guess the only good thing about this trip is that it looks like I have a new friend." Saxton smiled at Adam although she knew he would more then likely be able to see her sadness.

"Hell meeting me is reason to come to Paris on it's own" Adam added trying to lighten the dark mood that had drifted over Saxton. "Come on lets take this somewhere less public."

They walked in silence up to Adam's apartment, Saxton closely following behind Adam as he unlocked the door and walked through holding the door gentlemanly like while she entered.

"Go sit down, I'll be there in a minute" Adam said turning from Saxton and heading in the direction of the kitchen.

Doing as Adam said Saxton seated herself on one of the sofas and thought over everything that had happened. Why was she finding it hard to understand everything? She had come looking for answers only to find them and the questions replaced by even more questions.

She now knew what the dreams meant, it was the death of her, no her souls former body. Killed by the person he had thought of like a father. No matter how many times MacLeod had betrayed his trust before he always forgave him. If that was the case, why was she finding it so hard to forgive him this time? Forgive him for the final wrong doing towards Richie.

Thinking back to the dream she remembered how Richie had never tried to defend himself. He never raised his sword to stop the swing of MacLeod's katana. How she whenever she was put in his place she always did the same, was it Richie's decision not to do anything to stop MacLeod? Or was it something else? Was there something that was holding him, stopping him from defending himself?

"Sax, what's wrong?" Adam asked in concern having watched her for a full five minutes without her even acknowledging his presence.

Saxton jumped when she heard Adam's voice. Realising she had been locked in Richie's memories, she looked up at Adam with sad eyes. "Why can't I do as Hestia asked? Why can't I forgive MacLeod?"

"I don't know Sax, only you can truly answer that question." Adam took a seat beside Saxton pulling her into his arms. "There is only MacLeod that truly knows what happened that night at the racetrack, and from what Joe managed to get out of him over time it sounds like Richie didn't defend himself. MacLeod thought he was another of Ahriman's illusions.

"There is one other person that knows what happened that night. Richie knew, and now I know." Tears started as Saxton lifted her head looking into Adam's eyes. "Something stopped him. Richie saw the blade coming and it would have been easy for him to stop MacLeod, but there was something stopping him from raising his sword. If there wasn't anything stopping Richie from defending himself he could have survived. All it would have taken was a simple move, one of the first moves Richie had ever learnt from MacLeod. Richie was murdered that night, but it wasn't by MacLeod. Yes MacLeod may have made the final blow but there was something else to blame."

"Ahriman?"

"No, whatever it was it wasn't evil. It was…" Saxton broke off deep in thought trying to think of where and if she had felt that feeling before. "There's something I'm missing, something that's staring me straight in the eye, yet I can't see it."

"Just try and clear your mind, let the answer come to you."

"Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?" Saxton couldn't help but crake a smile no matter what she was feeling at the time. There was always something about Adam that made her laugh, and she liked that feeling.

"Yeah, I guess it does sound slightly stupid."

"I know the truth about what happened but yet I can't forgive him. I know if it was Richie sitting here instead of me he would have forgiven him a long time ago, but it's not and I can't."

"Just give it time, you obviously want to forgive him so just give it time and you'll be able to."

"I hope your right Adam."

"I am right."

"Thank you" Saxton sweetly smiled at Adam grateful for his insight into a problem that deep down she knew he knew nothing about, but was still willing to help.

Adam smiled back at her and their eyes locked. Without realising it they slowly drifted towards one another until there lips were locked in a mind-blowing kiss.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

He exited the terminal of the airport seeing the usual family members greeting one another in a sickening show of love and affection. People who obvious where in town on business, surprisingly a lot of them flagged down passing taxi's before anyone else managed to claim it for themselves or made there way towards the car rental office. There was also the obvious tourist who was always found in Paris following tour group leaders or trying to find there own way with confused looks crossing their faces.

Not wanting to watch the sickening scene before him he followed the flow of people towards the car rental office hoping to quickly get a car and then away from the airport. Not fully understanding why he'd suddenly got the urge to come to Paris in the first place he shrugged and pulled his coat closer to him.

The reason why he had come here in the first place was that he had a gut feeling that he was need and he always listened to his gut feelings. He could not remember a time that they had let him down. It was just the case of why was he here? And why now?

Once entering the car rental office he found the queue was surprising long and only two customer service people were behind the desk. He could tell it was going to cause the queue to move at a horribly slow pace so he sighed in defeat and joined the queue.

It was over half an hour when he finally emerged from the car rental office with the keys to a one year old Mercedes, at least he had a decent car. Making his way over to the lot that held the entire collection of rental cars he found the car in no time. He climbed in and quickly pulled out of the lot and headed into the centre of Paris, which is where he was been pulled.

He let himself be lead wherever it was he was been pulled only to find himself parking up but by the river Seine. A large size barge painted black sat docked to the bank of the river almost blending in with the murky waters.

Looking towards the barge he realised this was where he was been pulled towards. This was the place that he was meant to be all along he just knew it.

He sat there his coat pulled close to his body, as the interior of the car was cold. He watched the barge closely for any sign of why he had been pulled there. It was about two hours after he had first arrived that a woman he knew exited the barge. Samantha, what the hell was Samantha doing there? Samantha was meant to be back in the states with Romona.

Samantha moved quickly away form the barge, a look of sorrow clearly showing on her face. "Samantha wait!" a clearly masculine voice shouted from the barge and was quickly followed by the muscular dark haired Scot, MacLeod.

"No Mac, I need to find Saxton." Samantha shouted over her shoulder not turning to look back at the Scot that was quickly making his way towards her.

Finally reaching Samantha he turning her to face him and a look that begged for understanding crossed his face. "Please Sam, just wait and hear me out. It's not my fault that she kanna get over the fact that I was the one who killed Richie, but she needs to. I couldn't help what Ahriman made me down no more then she could help gaining Richie memories."

"I still need to go talk to her, try and make her understand that it wasn't you fault. She has Richie's memories and she should also have his faith in you. I just don't understand why she doesn't understand, can't you see I need to find out why?"

"Fine, but Sam, if she doesn't understand it's fine. I can understand why she wouldn't trust me, hell if Richie was here I'm almost positive that he wouldn't trust me either."

"Thanks Mac" Samantha quickly gave him a reassuring smile then turned out of MacLeod's grip and walked away.

Back in the car the lone figure watched her go and then got out of the car, knowing now was a good a chance as ever to do what he thought he was here to do. Walking down the steps towards where MacLeod was now watching as Samantha walked away, it wasn't long before he soon felt the presence of another immortal.

MacLeod also felt the presence and just like instinct he started scanning the area until they eyes locked. A puzzled look crossed his features, which quickly turned, into a smile.

"Conner, what are you doing here?"

Rather then get the answer to his question though Conner MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod pulled back his raincoat. His hand clasped onto the handle of his Katana and pulled it free from his coat.

"Conner? What's going on here?"

Still no answer, but now Conner had started advancing on Duncan.

"I kanna fight you Conner. I will not fight you." Duncan started to slowly back away from his advancing teacher regretting the fact that he had left his own katana back on the barge when he had come to chase Samantha.

Conner continued to advance and Duncan realised there was something wrong with his teacher. There was a look of pure evil shining in his eyes. It was then that he realised that the person standing before him was not his teacher, he didn't know what it was, but he know with all his heart that it was not Conner MacLeod of his clan.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

Still they're no answer from Conner as he continued to advance and before Duncan realised it he had been back into a wall. Nowhere else to run Duncan watched as Conner raised his sword above his head readying himself to strike the unarmed Duncan.

The sword came down swiftly and Duncan didn't know how he managed it but he caught the blade between his palms. Breathing a breath in relief he was not ready for the next attack.

Conner removed one of his hands from the handle of the Katana and with lighting speed sent a fist flying in to Duncan's face. The sound of bone braking echoed throughout the otherwise silent night and Duncan instinctively released the blade bringing his hands to his bloody nose.

The blade now released from its hold Conner pulled back the blade slightly then pushed forward with it, feeling the resistance as the blade pierced Duncan's chest a menacing smile appeared on Conner's face.

Felling the blade enter Duncan momentarily forgot about his broken nose and looked up, locking eyes with who he thought was a purely evil Conner.

The blade was removed from his chest and Duncan dropped to his knees. The pain of the broken nose was over took by the pain of the hole, which the blade of the katana had left. The energy felted his body leaving Duncan barely alive.

"Why?" were the last words that left Duncan's mouth as Conner brought the Katana down in a swift motion severing Duncan's head from the rest of his body, still without answering his question.

Joe was just walking down the steps towards MacLeod's barge when he saw the scene before him. Conner MacLeod, Duncan's clansmen with his sword in hand and Duncan slowly backing away from him heading straight for a brick wall where there would be no escape.

What in gods name was going on here?

He knew there was nothing he could do without interfering with what obviously was a challenge, even if it was a seriously uneven challenge. There was no chance that he would have been able to get to where the immortals were in time so he did his job, watched hoping beyond all hope that this was not going to be another case of a MacLeod ending the life of his student.

It happened in what seemed like a spilt second. First Conner swung his sword causing Joe to hold his breath and release it in surprise as Duncan managed to catch the blade. The Conner in what seemed like supernatural strength punched Duncan in the face turning the lower half of Duncan's face crimson. Duncan let go of the blade and put his hands to his face covering his obviously broken nose. Conner moved fast and plunged the sword into Duncan's chest.

Pulling the sword out, Duncan dropped to his knees and Conner made the final strike, swiftly decapitating Duncan.

Tears sneaked there way to Joe's eyes at what he had just seen. Flashers of a simpler situation appeared before his eyes and the lifeless body quickly turned from been Duncan MacLeod to Richie Ryan and back again countless time in a matter of seconds.

Time seemed to drag on for what seemed like years but yet only mere seconds passed before the fog started to rise and then lightening started to jump from Duncan's headless body and into Conner.

Conner screamed as the countless lightening strikes hit him causing insurmountable amount of pain. Moments stretched into to what seemed like hours as the pain continued.

Joe could not watch any longer, he turned away and knew he had to go tell Methos before reporting this to the watchers. He had a feeling that either Methos or Samantha would want revenge for what he had just seen.

Joe walked back to his car and quickly climbed back in. As soon as the door was closed there was nothing Joe could do to stop the tears that overtook him. The sobs shook his body and he could not believe how hard it was to breath.

No matter how many times MacLeod and himself had had disagreements; he had always considered him more like a brother then a friend. It had been hard loosing Richie in that manner but loosing MacLeod like that too it was just beyond measure.

He was not sure how long he had been sat there, tears freely continuing their path down his face. He had finally managed to get his breathing under control and wiped the tears from his face. There would be time later to greave for his friend, now he had to tell Adam about what had happened.

Twisting the key in the ignition he started the car and made his way towards Adam's apartment. The driving was done on almost on autopilot as Joe's thoughts were drifting back to the challenge between the two MacLeod's. The uncharacteristic behaviour of the elder MacLeod, which led to his clansmen's death, was way beyond anything Joe had ever expected from Conner.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Adam and Saxton were sat cuddled together on the sofa watching a film that Adam had put on once they had finished having there discussion when he suddenly felt the presence of another of there kind. Moments later it was followed by a knock on the door.

Saxton knew what is was when she felt Adam tense against her with the knock on the door she looked up at him and the look on his face confirmed that there was an immortal at the door. Thinking it was MacLeod she quickly pulled away from Adam and stood up. "If it's MacLeod I don't want to talk to him."

"Ok." Adam quietly replied and gave her a quick kiss on the lips when he had got up himself. Noticing that the sadness had returned to Saxton's eyes he turned and headed for the door. When he opened the door he was surprised to see that is was not MacLeod standing there but instead Samantha.

"Where's Saxton?" Samantha curtly asked her face showing her annoyance with Saxton's attitude earlier on.

"I don't know if I should let you in. You look like you'd kill her the mood your in at the moment."

"Cut the crap Adam. Where is she?"

"Come on in." Adam moved out of the way and let Samantha enter then just as she was crossing the threshold took hold of her upper arm. "I'm warning you, you say anything to upset her and I'll through you out of here before you can count to one."

The look that death once wore stopped any sarcastic reply that was on the tip of her tongue and she nodded in agreement although every instinct in her body was telling her to run. Adam let go of her arm and closed the door and led her into the living room where Saxton had retaken her seat on the sofa.

"Sam? What are you doing here?" Saxton asked puzzled at her friend's sudden appearance.

"I think we need to talk."

"If you've come to tell me I've to go apologise to MacLeod, don't' waist your breath. I've already decided I've got to apologise I just need some time to think."

"Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank me for. I knew all along that Mac wasn't responsible for taking Richie's head. Yeah he may have been the one who swung the sword, but there were other parts been played. I'm going to go to the barge tomorrow to apologise for everything. For my attitude this morning and for not forgiving him in the beginning about Richie."

"What really happened with Richie then if Mac wasn't to blame for his death?" Samantha could not help the question that leaped form her mouth even as the look of sadness crossed Saxton's face.

"Someone stopped Richie from defending himself. He saw the sword coming at him and tried to raise his own in an attempt to try and defend himself but couldn't. There was something stopping him. At first I just assumed the reason I couldn't raise the sword in the dream was because that's the way it played out in real life, which it was but it wasn't the reason why I couldn't raise the sword. I felt like someone was holding my arms by my side. I remember the feeling of complete and utter terror, knowing that I was going to die and there was nothing I could do about it. I remember praying that Joe would turn up and shot Mac like he did when Mac received the dark quickerning. But he didn't. I prayed for anything and nothing happened." Tears were pooling from Saxton's eyes as she remembered that night at the racetrack and the moments before MacLeod had killed Richie.

"I'm sorry" were the only words that Samantha could find and she knew that they were never going to be enough to elevate the immense about of pain that was clear to see if you looked into Saxton's eyes. She moved closer to her and took her in her arms repeating time and time again how sorry she was.

It was some time later that they finally managed to pull themselves together and sit down for a conversation that didn't involve one of them ending in tears and another length of time as they continued to sit in silence before there was another knock on the door.

Adam rose from his seat without word and walked towards the front door and quickly pulled it open.

"Joe? What's wrong?" Adam asked the moment he caught the look on Joe's face, the look of complete sorrow.

"It's Mac." Were the only word that Joe managed to get out before Adam pulled him into the apartment and into the living room.

Saxton and Samantha looked up as the saw Joe and Adam enter and there face took on the look of concern at how Joe looked.

"Joe, what's wrong?" Saxton asked as she jumped up from the sofa and raced over to where he was.

Joe not knowing that Saxton had Richie's memories, and with them felt like Joe was one of her closest friends looked concerned up at Adam.

"It's ok Joe, I'll explain later." Adam smiled reassuringly at his friend and led him towards the sofa.

"Ok. Well I was on my way to go visit Mac. I was just heading down to the barge when I saw it happen, god I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He didn't have his sword, why the fuck didn't he have his sword? He tried his best to defend himself but it was no good. I can't believe it but. God I can't believe Mac's dead. The bastard took his head without a thought in the world."

Three sets of stunned eyes looked at Joe not fully believing what they had heard. Mac dead? That wasn't possible. MacLeod was one of the hopes for been the last one and some son of a bitch killed him while he was defenceless.

"Who was it, Joe?" Adam asked trying his best to keep his voice steady.

"It was. God it was Conner, Conner MacLeod. His own teacher killed him. What the hell is going on here Adam? First Mac kills Richie and now Conner's just killed Mac. How is that possible? Conner loved Mac like a brother, I can't believe he would ever do anything to harm him let alone take his head."

"Conner? No way, Conner would never do that." A shocked Samantha sat staring at Joe searching for anything that would tell her he was lying as she pushed herself up off the sofa and started to pace the length of the room.

"Yeah, that's exactly like what I thought." Joe virtually defeated slouched in the sofa and looked at the faces of the people there. Adam looked pissed as hell. Samantha look disbelieving of the whole situation but it was the look on Saxton's face that almost ripped his heart out. Saxton looked like she had seen a ghost, the look of pure and unadulterated pain was shining in her eyes and a look of fear was present too.

"No!" Saxton all but whispered as she quickly got up from the sofa, turned and all but ran towards Adam's bedroom.

"Shit!" Adam cursed himself for not thinking about Saxton before then heading to where Saxton had just gone but was stopped by Joe's puzzled voice.

"Adam? What's going on? Who was she to MacLeod?" Joe realised he had used the pasted tense and his heart almost broke once again.

"She's the one person that may have cared more about him then you. She is Richie, well Richie reincarnated with all memories included."

"What? Your kidding right?" Joe asked shocked.

"No. What makes it worse is she never got the chance to tell Mac that she, well Richie forgave him for what he did."

"Shit!"

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Adam said as he turned and headed towards the bedroom and what he knew was going to be an very upset Saxton.

Saxton sat on the king sized bed knees pulled up to her chest rocking back and forth. Her eyes were red and puffy from the crying that she knew had only just started and was going to last for a long time.

Her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest and handed to her on a plate, but in a thousand peaces.

Conner MacLeod the one immortal she would never had thought about possibly killing MacLeod was the one responsible for his demise.

Conner MacLeod, the one that had tried to take Mac's place in fighting Slain when Richie had first met the two, was the one to finally end it himself.

She knew that she had to get Mac back; it was the only way she would be able to let him know that she and Richie forgave him for what he did. She had to take Conner's quickerning to get Mac, but first there was something she had to do. She had to end her mortal life.

Pulling herself together for what she knew she had to do she reached over and pulled open Adam's bedside draw. Like she had hoped she found a gold handled dagger. Adam was so predictable it was almost unbelievable.

She lifted the dagger out of the draw and was surprised at the weight of it in her hand. Heaver then she would have expected but it felt right I her hand. Knowing what she had to do she thought for a few second, trying to think of the quickest way to do the task at hand.

Wiping away a few more tears that had fallen from her eyes she rested the blade over where her heart was hoping she would have enough strength to push the dagger far enough in to pierce her heart. Hopefully it would be a quick way to end her mortal life, she was ready for the pain but she did not want to suffer beyond what she had too.

Breathing out and closing her eyes she steadied her breathing hoping she did not scream with the pain she knew was to come. One last tear leaked from her closed eyes and she used all straight possible and plunged the dagger into her chest.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

The sound of a scream filled with pain reached the living room just as Adam turned back towards the bedroom. His heart beating hard in his chest Adam race to the room as he more felt then saw Samantha jumped up and ran towards the scream as well.

Reaching the door Adam throw it open to find Saxton lying on the bed, the dagger he kept in his bedside draw sticking out of her chest. Blood had started to pool around the wound slowly making its way down her side and towards the bed. The look of death was present in her dull eyes that seemed to stare straight though him.

"Shit! Sax what the fuck you go and do that for?" Adam asked the temporary lifeless body before him.

"She knew didn't she?" Samantha asked not fazed by what she saw before her not sure if she remembered Saxton mentioning her own possible immortality back at MacLeod's barge.

"Yeah she worked it out from a few things that Hestia said from Richie's memories."

Adam walked over to the bed sliding onto it and beside Saxton's body and gently caressed her check.

Samantha was more shocked by the show of affection that Adam was showing then the sight of her friend's lifeless body. At the same time though she could not help the stab of jealousy that shot through her. What did a five thousand year old man find so alluring about this child?

A gentle tap on her should alerted her to Joe's presence and notice that he was asking her to give them some privacy. Nodding her head she pulled the bedroom door closed.

"Why would she do that? Yeah Adam said about Richie's memories and all, but I never would have thought she was suicidal." Samantha noticed that Joe seemed to be having a hard time understanding what was truly going on here so she decided to enlighten him as he obviously had not caught her and Adam's conversation.

"She didn't. She just made herself immortal."

"You mean she's? But how did she know?"

"Apparently she figured it out herself from some of Richie's memories."

Back in the bedroom a single tear escaped Adam's eyes as he rapped his hand around the handle of the dagger. In a swift movement the dagger was removed and Adam lay beside Saxton waiting for her to awaken.

The time seem to stretch into eternity as Adam lay there against the lifeless body of the one he realised he truly loved with all his heart. He caressed her cheek hoping her immortal healing would kick in soon so he would not have to look at the gaping hole in her chest.

The first few flashes of immortal healing started and Adam sat up taking her hand in his waiting for her to awaken. Once again the minutes seemed to drag until finally Saxton inhaled her first of what was hopefully going to be one of many immortal breaths.

The pain crossed her face as she felt the powerful buzz that came with his five thousand year old presence, but soon it faded away once she became accustom to his presence.

"Why?" Adam asked as Saxton opened her eyes and looked into his which clearly showed the pain and sorrow he was feeling, not only for her chose but for the lose of MacLeod.

"Because it's the only way for me to be sure Mac would ever feel Richie's and mine forgiveness. Because I plan to take Conner MacLeod's head to get Mac so that he'll know."

"Saxton, have you any idea how idiotic that plan is." Adam could not help the resentment that sneaked through his defences and noticed the pain look cross Saxton face, which in turn made him feel guilty for what he had said. "I'm sorry Sax, but you don't fully understand what you have just done. Yeah you may have Richie memories, his knowledge of how to fight. But you may as well just throw all that out the window; it's about as much use to you as, well it's just useless. Richie was a man and in turn naturally had more strength then you. Mac thought him fighting styles that he would he would be able to use. You would have to use a completely different style. Then there's the fact that you don't have the mussels at the moment anyway. Reach back into Richie memories and remember how long it took Richie to finally get used to fighting with a sword. I bet he was still having slight problems when he was killed."

Saxton did as he asked and realised for the first time that he was right. There was no way she would be able to get Mac back at the present moment, and not until she had had proper training in how 'she' was going to use a sword.

"I need to do this Adam. I need to have MacLeod's quickerning. I need Mac to understand that we forgave him, even if it is only his quickening that understands it. Please you have to help me, I need to do this. I have to do this." Saxton pleased knowing that she had to do it.

She had to get Conner, and in turn once she got Conner she would also get Duncan. She had a feeling that this was as it was meant to be, she was almost sure that she was meant to get Richie's quickening back. How else would she feel complete?

"I'll train you Sax, but I need you to understand that I don't think your going to be ready to take Conner for a long time."

"Thank you Adam. If I meet Conner before I'm ready understand that I've got to try. I've got to elevate this guilt and I think the only way to do that is for me to get Mac back.

"I can only ask you not too. Sax, please I'm begging you here I can't lose you. Just wait until your ready to face him before you go up against him. I don't think I could handle loosing you."

Saxton was almost in a state of shock. She realised there was something between the two of them, but she deep down thought it was only her feelings that were as deep as they were. She knew Adam cared for her but to have him come out and say that he did not think he could handle her death made her almost forget to breath.

"Sax, I love you please don't make me go through losing you." Adam pleased knowing deep down it was wrong to use his love against her like he was but he knew what he was saying was true, he did not think he could handle her permanent death.

Tears came to Saxton's eyes, not believing what she had just heard she could not find her voice to tell him that she felt the same, that she loved him too but her throat could not form the words. Nodding her head in agreement she felt Adam's arm go around her and squeeze her so hard she could have sworn she heard a few ribs crack.

"I'm sorry Adam. I promise I want go after Conner until I'm ready. Adam, oh God I'm sorry." Tears leaked from her eyes again socking into Adam's sweeter, but he did not seem to mind the dampness.

Adam pulled away slightly and Saxton looked up into his eyes seeing for the first time the true extent of his love for her and it was shocking to see how deep his feeling truly went.

Adam bent down and kissed her passionately on the lips, it was a kiss that neither of them wanted to end but unfortunately the need for oxygen won and they broke the kiss. Saxton looked up at Adam it lust filled eyes and suddenly found the word she could not find moments before. "I love you, Adam. I love you so much it hurts."

Adam smiled a sweet smile that she had come to love so much and spoke, his voice husky with the lust that he was feeling at that moment. "I know."

"Come on I think we both need to clean up." Adam finally pulled away when he remembered the blood that covered Saxton and now himself.

Saxton nodded then suddenly realising she did not have anything to change into. "Err, Adam? You would happen to have anything for me to change into as all my things are still on Mac's barge."

The reminder of Mac's demise hit Adam and he suddenly felt guilt at his momentarily forgetfulness about Mac's death as he had been worried more about Saxton. He nodded the moved off the bed and over to a set of draws. Opening the draws he pulled out some sweet pants and a t-shirt and handed them to Saxton. Then opening another he pulled himself out another pair of jeans and another sweeter and put them on top of the set of draws.

"You go take a shower, I'll shower after you." Adam offered and Saxton nodded and walked towards the on suite bathroom.

Once the bathroom door was closed Adam walked over to the bed and started pulling off the blood stained sheets. Once the sheets were removed he screwed them into a ball and walked out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. Opening a draw he pulled out a black bin liner and put the sheets in then pulled off his sweeter and did the same with them, making a mental note to destroy all them later.

He turned around to see Joe standing there in the doorway. "How is she?"

"She's fine. She's getting cleaned up now."

"Why did she do it Adam? I know she knew about her destined immortality but why?"

"She feels it's the only way to make it up to Mac. She never told him that she and Richie forgave him for what he did. She was planning on going to see Mac tomorrow and tell him. Conner robbed her of that chance so she feels the only thing that would make it right now is to take Conner's quickerning and in turn getting Mac."

"And once she has Mac she believe he will understand that she forgave him."

"Exactly." Adam sighed not sure how he was going to proceed.

"So what now. Is she going to go headhunting for Conner?"

"No. I've persuaded her to let me train her first. True she has Richie knowledge but she's going to need a different fighting style to survive an encounter with another immortal if she expects to live. She agreed to wait till she's ready before she goes after his head."

"That's if Samantha will let her have it. I think she of all people is about ready to head out and take Conner's head for herself."

"I can wait until Saxton's ready. I think she needs to do this, otherwise she going to live with her guilt for a very long time. If this is what she wants to do than I can wait. To be honest I don't think I'd be able to do it either, I believe Conner a friend as much as Saxton is my friend now. Even after what he's done I don't think I'd be able to go through with it." Samantha confessed as she came to stand behind Joe obviously hearing their conversation before she had came in.

All three were silent for a few moments until the silence was broken by Saxton's voice. "Err Adam I'm finished in the bathroom."

"Thanks." Adam smiled as Samantha quickly took Saxton in her arms relieved to see that her friend was truly ok.


	13. Chapter 13

I know it's been a while since i last posted thats because i was waiting for this to be bated, but nobody volunteered, so enven though it's still unbated i'm gonna carry on posting in hopes that someone will volunteer to be my beta. :)

Hope you enjoy and to say i'm sorry for not posting in a while i'll be posting three chapters today.

Once again let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen 

The next year Saxton trained with Adam almost everyday in hopes that she would soon be ready to face Conner MacLeod. The first few months were dedicated to increasing Saxton's strength and teaching her a fighting style that would be more suitable for herself.

Samantha had headed back home after the two weeks stay was up promising to sort out Saxton affairs back home and forward all her belongings to Paris. Joe although no longer a field watcher anylonger kept an eye on Conner's file, keeping track of where he was at all time for when the time came that Saxton was ready to face him.

It was in her ninth month of training that Saxton took her first quickerning. Adam had sent her to the store when she had run into an arrogant head-hunter, out for an easy head, but thanks to Adam's teachings she was able to defeat him and claim his quickening fairly easily.

The quickening was just as painful as she remembered from Richie's memories but there was also the feel of the power that tempted you. Thanks to Richie's memories she managed to push those urges as far back into her subconscious as possible unwilling to get power hungry.

Adam was relieved to find out that Saxton had won her first challenge with relatively no problems, but still had to try and convince her that she still wasn't ready to face Conner. She reluctantly agreed and they once again settled into training, Saxton seemed to have found encouragement form taking her first quickening that help her through the next couple of months.

It was a few days until it was her one-year anniversary since becoming immortal when she had an unsuspected visitor. She felt the presence before she ever saw the person. She instinctively reached under her long leather coat gripping the handle of her sword firmly waiting for the other to appear.

A figure emerged from out of the shadows and a smile graced Saxton face at seeing a friend she hadn't seen in over a year. "Rommy?"

"Hey Sax" Romona smile at her friend and moved to hug her.

They embraced for a few moments then both pulled away with smiles on their faces.

"Your immortal?"

"Last time I checked. I thought Sam would have told you."

"No, guess that little fact must have slipped her mind. How you been anyway?"

"Good I guess. I couldn't believe it when I heard about what you did Sax. Sam had to almost pin me down to stop me jumping on a plane just so I could come kick your butt for having a stupid idea like killing yourself just so you could get revenge."

"It wasn't that simple Rommy, you've got to understand I need Mac's quickening to make him understand that I forgive him."

"I know that now. Once I calmed down enough Sam explained to me why you did it and to tell you the truth, if I was in your shoes I would have properly done the same thing. I'm still finding it kind of hard to believe that you have this Richie guys memories, it sound like something out of the outer limits or the twightlight zone."

"Tell me about it."

A smirk crossed Romona's face as she remembered another fact that Samantha had told her. "And what's this I hear about you having a hunky boyfriend?"

"Adam, yeah he's great. He's my teacher, trying to get me ready to face Conner." Saxton's eyes sparked at the thought of Adam and how there relationship had just intensified the longer they had got to know each other. She could not remember a time where she had been more loved then she felt whenever she was around Adam.

"Yeah from the look in your eyes I think you've fallen hard for him." Romona teased her friend, happy to see her as happy and content as she was.

"Come on, I was just on my way to meet him. It'll be good if you could come and meet him as well."

"I'd like that. Lead the way."

Saxton smiled once again glad to have her friend back in her life having not spoken to her since leaving for Paris a year ago. 'Life seems to be getting better.' Saxton thought as she led the way to Le Blues Bar.

Saxton and Romona entered the bar and were greeted by the presence of another immortal. Saxton smiled when she saw whom it was and walked over to where Adam was sloughed like usual on a barstool.

"Adam, I'd like you to meet Rommy. Rommy meet Adam."

"Nice to finally meet you Adam, Sam's told me all about you."

"Yeah nice to meet you too." Adam quickly dismissed Romona and turned to Saxton and placed an envelope in her hand.

"What's this?"

"Plane tickets to London."

"Why do I want to go to London?" Saxton asked puzzled.

"I think it's about time we paid a visit to an old friend."

"Conner?" Saxton could only hope that she was right and he finally agreeing to her facing the one that had killed Mac.

"Yeah Conner."

"When do we leave?"

"Tonight. We fly out at 1930."

"Good. It's about time." Saxton sighed trying to calm her nerves. The prospect of finally getting Mac after all this time was a relief beyond anything she could possible describe. To finally be able to relieve herself of all the guilt she has been carrying around with her for the year was a more then she could ever have wanted.

"What's going on?" Romona asked as a puzzled look crossed her face.

"It's nothing Rommy, I just have to go out of town for a day or two."

"I'm guessing you're not going to visit this Conner just to see a long lost friend."

"No I'm not. I'm going to claim his head and in turn claim the quickening of Duncan MacLeod."

"Duncan MacLeod? Sam's teacher?"

"Yeah, and Richie's. Don't try and talk me out of it Rommy because it won't work. Ask Adam he's been trying for a year without much success."

"Fine but Sam's not going to be happy. I know her and I know that she would want to claim Duncan's quickerning."

"Yeah she does, but she also understands that I've got a valid reason for wanting it. She agreed to let me do this."

"Sam agreed to let you take Duncan's quickerning?"

"Yeah! Why is that such a big surprise?"

"It's such a big surprise because she loved him. I'm not talking about love as in mutual friends here, I'm talking about she was in love with him, but was too afraid to do anything about it. There was always someone else, Amanda, Tessa, Anna and the list goes on."

"Sam? No way, she would have told me."

"No she wouldn't. She only told me because she wasn't in the right frame of mind. If I remember correctly it was in the sixty's and she was completely out of her face."

"I can't believe it. She. How could? Oh I give up trying to figure things out. Adam I'm going home to pack a few things"

Saxton turned ready to walk straight out of the bar when Romona put a hand on her arm stopping her from going anywhere.

"Sax, this isn't like you."

"Yeah well I've not exactly myself since the dreams started bring fourth a chain of events that I need to do something about. I need to know that Mac knows something and the only way I can do that now is to get his quickening."

"Sax, I'm sorry about what happened. Finding out all that you did only to loose most of it before you got a chance to put things right, but this isn't the way to go about things. This isn't what has to be done." Romona pleaded with her friend trying to change her mind no matter how futile her efforts obviously were.

"Rommy I'm doing this, there is nothing you could possibly say that could change my mind so you're wasting your breath."

"This Conner, is it Conner MacLeod?"

"Yes"

"Then I'm asking, no pleading don't do this. Conner is my teacher. That's how Sam and me met, we were been taught by the MacLeod's at the same time. Sam getting taught by Duncan and me I got taught by Conner. Please don't do this. I'm asking you as a friend pleading for another friend's life.

Saxton looked at her friend shocked at what she had just admitted. "You were Conner's student?"

"Yeah, now do you see why I don't want you to go through with this? Now you know the true reason Sam stopped me from coming over a year ago when I first found out about what happened. Please Sax, let him live. He must be in enough pain as it is having the guilt of taking his students head."

"Rommy, I can't I need to make sure that Mac knows that I forgave him. The only way left to do that is to gain his quickening. Have him be a part of me so that he would understand."

"Then wait until someone else takes Conner's head, then go after their head."

"Your asking me to live with the guilt of not telling him about Richie's and mine forgiveness just so I would leave Conner alone. Live an unlimited amount of time with the guilt burning a hole through my heart. Then there's the fact that Conner's strong and whoever manages to take his head would be stronger and I'll more then likely not be able to beat that person. What you're really asking me to do is forget about taking Conner's head and with it forgetting about Duncan's quickening." Saxton could not believe what her friend was asking of her.

"Please, I'm begging you Sax."

"No!" with that Saxton pulled herself free from Romona and stormed out of the bar.

Adam sighed getting up from the stool, "thanks for trying. You better go call Sam and tell her it didn't work." With that Adam turned and heading towards the exit and after Saxton.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The flight was short and uneventful, the airport was a problem, trying to explain why both Adam and herself were both carrying sword in their luggage. Adam had explained she should expect it to happen every time she travelled abroad. The regulations were ten times what they used to be when Richie was alive and looked like they were going to get even stricter in the next year or so.

Adam had taken hired a car and drove them to a house he had mentioned having in the London area. When they arrived Saxton's looked at the house that looked more like a castle in her opinion with an open mouth. Saxton could not believe what she was seeing before her eyes. Adam lived here?

"What?" Adam could not help the smirk that crossed his face at seeing the look on Saxton's face but at the same time he tried to keep the innocent mild mannered watch face on.

"You own this?"

"Yeah, what's wrong you think it's a bit too small?" This time it took some serious effort not to burst out laughing at Saxton's look.

"Yeah small was exactly the word I was looking for. God how on earth are we going to managed the two of us living in that small house with tripping up over one another for the next few days." Sarcasm leaked from her mouth as she spoke every word.

"Oh I think we'll be able to manage." Adam smiled then got out of the car and waited for Saxton to follow his lead so he could lock it up. Once she had he looked at her again and smirked. "We could always stay in the house I have in Scotland it twice the size as this."

Saxton did not even reply she just gave him a shocked looked which seemed to have locked into place.

"Come on, I'll show you around." Adam started towards the front doors the smile firmly on his face.

"Are you sure we have the time, I thought you said you were going to take me out for dinner tonight?"

"Funny!"

Saxton smiled forgetting momentarily why they were in London and just enjoying the banter that passed between the two of them.

"Adam, where are you taking me tonight?

"You'll see, oh I hope you brought that little black dress that I like so much." Adam's eyes twinkled with mischievous.

"No I didn't think I'd be needing it, Why?"

"Never mind I'll pop out and grab something that will be appropriate

Adam had done just that and returned with a garment bag thrown over his shoulder as he strolled back into the house. Saxton was in the work out room getting some last minute practise in before facing Conner.

Adam stopped in the doorway and watched as Saxton worked with her sword. Sweet was seeping through her tight vest top not leaving much to Adam's imagination. 

"I hope you got me something nice." Saxton asked not taking her attention away from her workout.

"Yes I got you another dress this time dark blue. I think it will look great on you."

"Well then." Saxton started and finished her cool down then walked over to Adam and taking the bag out of his hands and giving him a small kiss. "I think I better go change." Giving him another quick kiss Adam had to resist pulling her closer to him but knew she was right. If they were planning on going out for dinner they had better start getting ready as it was just turning 1800.

"I think I'll let you have the shower first." Adam followed her down the hall then up the stairs towards their bedroom.

"We could always share" Saxton grinned as she hung the garment bag on the back of the door and walked towards the bathroom.

Adam quickly checked his watch again then decided with a smile that they had enough time to have a bit of fun. It wasn't like they were wasting time after all, they were just getting a shower, and they were also going to be saving on water he thought logically. 

Entering the bathroom he watched her through the frosted glass of the shower screen as he quickly shed the clothes he was wearing and jumped into the shower with her.

Once finished in the shower Adam quickly got on a black suit and went down stairs to wait for Saxton to come down. When she did about fifteen minutes later she was breathe taking.

She was wearing the blue dress Adam had bought which seem to hang to her in all the right placed. Her hair was up pulled away from her face apart from a few strands that were left hanging down on her left side of her face. She was only wearing a slight amount of makeup, which made her more natural beauty shine through and Adam felt his heart quicken at the sight of the breath-taking woman before him. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you, you don't look half bad yourself." Saxton smile liking the effect she seemed to have on Adam. "So are you going to tell me where you're taking me tonight then."

Adam smiled back mischief glistening in his eyes. "Nope!"

He held his hand out for her and once she took it he pulled her into his chest and kissed her gentle, making sure he didn't smudge her lipstick.

Adam put his arm our for her to take then said, "If milady would follow me I shall escort her to the car." 

"I feel like I should have a chaperone to make sure we don't get up to anything we shouldn't'." Saxton shyly smiled as she placed her hand in Adams and he walked her towards the door.

"Hell no, they're more trouble they're worth. I spent half my time trying to lose them whenever I had the misfortune of courting someone who's father believed in them."

"Why do I not find that hard to believe?" Saxton smirked as she climbed into the car. Once she was in Adam gently closed the door for her and walked around to the driver's side and got in himself.

They drove for about half an hour moving further and further away from the centre of London and finally arrived at a manor house about three times the size of Adam's. 

"What are we doing here?" Saxton asked puzzled as to why they had got so dressed up just to come here.

"You'll see Adam said leaning over and planting a gentle kiss on her lips."

Adam got out of the car and rushed around to her side before she had a chance to open the door herself and opened it for her. Offering his hand to help her lift her out of the car.

Rather then taking her into the manor like she would have expected he let her around the side of the manor and stopped at a horse and carriage.

Unable to stop the smile that now graced her face Saxton looked surprised at Adam. "Adam, what?"

"Milady." Adam once again held out his hand and helped her up into the carriage and then climbed up himself. 

"Where are we going now?"

Adam didn't respond he just smiled back at her and let the horse know to move. It was a nice ride; the sun was just starting to set behind the trees in the distance and there didn't seem to be a breeze at all so the warmth the sun had brought with the day seemed to linger.

He stopped when they reached a little table, which had been set up and once again gave Saxton his hand to help her down. Once she was safety off the carriage he walked over to the table and lit a candle that sat in the centre of the table. 

There were plates at either side of the table and what looked expensive plates at that. Knives and forks sat beside the plates and it was the whole set of knives and forks, from salad to dessert.

Saxton was breath taken at the realisation of the trouble Adam must have gone too to arranging all this.

"God this looks beautiful"

"I thought you would like it." Adam came up behind her and rapped his arms around her delicate waist.

Just then a youngish man Saxton guessed to be the age of about twenty maybe twenty-one came around a tree carrying a tray. A lid protecting what Saxton assumed to be food, which lay beneath.

Adam untangled himself from her and pulled out a chair for her to sit on. Saxton took the seat and waited for Adam to take the seat across from her. 

The young man finally reached the table and pulled the lid off the tray and revealed two small plates of a salad with what looked like a white sauce topping it. He placed one plate first in front of Saxton on top of the plate that was already on the table then did the same with Adam. Once he was sure they were both ok he turned back around and headed the way he had just come from.

Adam pulled out a bottle of white wine, which had been placed in a cooler at the side of the table and purred some first in Saxton's glass and then some in his own.

"What's all this for Adam?" Saxton asked after taking a sip of the wine.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"But you must have gone to one hell of a lot of trouble to arrange all this."

"Surprisingly it wasn't too much trouble at all. A friend of mine owns this place and when I said I was coming to town for a visit he jumped to the chance to help out. You'll meet him later after we've eaten."

"Ok. I still can't believe this is happening to me, it like something out of the movies or a story book or something."

"Your worth it though. I would do anything for you Saxton." Adam admitted.

Saxton was lost for words she had never had anyone feel like Adam felt about her and the fact that she felt the same about him was such a shock she almost thought she was dreaming half the time. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Saxton woke up as the sun broke through the open curtains and shone into her eyes. She quickly turned over and cuddled back up to Adam as she noticed once again the new ring that graced her ring finger. The smile came back to her face as she memories came back of the night before and of the romantic dinner with Adam.

They were just finishing up the best chocolate cake she had ever had when Adam un-expletively got up from his seat and knelt down on one knee and reached into his pocket and pulling out a little black box. He opened it up and held it up for her to see what was in it and then looked her dead in the eyes and said. "Sax, I love you beyond believe and it would be a dream come true if you would agree to be my wife."

The tears of joy started to fall making Saxton relieved that she had used waterproof mascara as she tried to find the words that she so desperately wanted to say.

Swallowing the lump in her throat she nodded and managed to squeak out a yes. Relief was clearly showed itself on Adam's face as he removed the ring from the box and slid it onto her ring finger.

"Morning" the sleepy voice of Adam broke into her thoughts and she looked up to his face and was greeted by a smile that matched hers.

"Morning. So what have you got planned today then?"

"Well I was planning an extended stay in bed then a nice breakfast at a little café I know then this afternoon we'll go find Conner."

"Sounds like a plan, at least then we can enjoy our stay without worrying about the upcoming challenge."

"Umm, and what challenge would that be?" Adam murmured against Saxton's lips as his hands made there was up and down her naked form.

It was going on 1400 when Adam pulled the car over to and pointed out where Conner MacLeod had been hiding out for the past year after taking the head of his kinsmen. Saxton nodded and without word got out of the car knowing if she was unsuccessful and lost her head today Adam would avenge her no matter the cost.

It wasn't until she reached the door that she felt the presence of another immortal and she straightened up trying to gain more courage. Moments later the door opened and Conner MacLeod stood there, Katana in hand giving Saxton a puzzled look.

"I am Conner MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod."

"I know who you are and I'm here for your head." Saxton pulled her sword out of her coat and saw the shock register on his face. The sword she had been using for the past year was the same sword that Duncan MacLeod owned.

"Where did you get that Katana?"

"Now where do you think I got it."

"Duncan" the sorrow clearly showed itself in his voice and she could see the tears starting to shine in his eyes.

"Got it in one and I'm her to claim you head to get Duncan to someone that dissevers him."

"Who are you?"

"Saxton Thomson"

"Never heard of you

"Don't suppose you would have, but I've certainly heard about you. I've come for you head Conner MacLeod and in turn gain Duncan MacLeod's quickening." Saxton said not waiting for any response as she attacked Conner, who easily blocked the move and attacked himself.

The fight continued for well into fifteen minutes with both of them not able to gain much leverage against the other. Saxton was starting to doubt she would be able to finish what she had started. Because of her distraction she never noticed Conner's sword slip under her defences and stabbed her in the gut until the lightening pain cut through her.

She fell to her knees, her eyes closed in pain as she remembered something Adam had taught her for exactly these kinds of situations. Conner not expecting Saxton to fight back much now that she was wounded breathed a sigh of relief and readied himself for the final strike thinking at the same time, 'I'm getting to old for this crap' when his feet disappeared from under him and he found himself lying on his back with a sword at his throat.

"Saxton, Stop!" The normality calm and serene voice that was Hestia was now showing fear at what Saxton was about to do.

Saxton's voice shock violently with emotion, as she responded, "No, Hestia you know I have to do this. I have to know that Duncan understands." 

"And you will my child, but not this was. Duncan is as you once were. You will get your chance to tell him of Richie's forgiveness and that of your own. You don't have to condemn a man for something he was not responsible for. You more then anybody should understand what happened with Conner."

"You mean to tell me you've done what you did with me, to Duncan? That Duncan's soul lives in someone else?" Saxton asked doubtfully still refusing to take the blade away from Conner's neck.

"Yes Saxton. Now please don't harm Conner. He is needed for things to change for the side of good.

"I. Hestia, I." Saxton wavered still not sure what she was going to do, then just as quickly as the sword appeared at Conner's neck it was removed and Saxton's fist connected with his nose breaking it and causing blood to run down his face. "Fine I won't kill him but I will get some kind of revenge for what he did to Duncan."

"Who the fuck, are you people!" Conner asked holding his nose in pain.

"Isn't that obvious, where friends of Duncan's" Adam said as he rounded the corner and letting Saxton and Conner feel his presence.

"And what would your name be?" Conner asked sarcastically finally letting go of his nose as it had now fully healed only leaving a blood stained face as a reminder.

"I go by the name Adam Pierson at the moment!"

"Yeah Duncan's mention you before, but you" Conner pointed at Saxton. "What was your name again, Saxton Thomson I've never heard him mention you before."

"He wouldn't have because he only met me the day before you killed him. I have known him for a while though when I was going by Richie Ryan then."

"Richie Ryan is this some kind of a joke? I met Richie Ryan and you look nothing like HIM. Emphasis on the him." Conner had finally managed to get to his feet and was facing both immortals and Hestia.

"I know I'm not him, but I do have his soul and his memories. I didn't understand what was happening to me until I met Mac. He thought I couldn't forgive him for what he did to Richie. I was just about to tell him when you came alone and took away my chance. He died thinking that Richie never forgave him when that isn't true and it's all your fault." Saxton sneered at Conner as she moved to stand near Adam.

"I'm sorry" was the only words Conner could find in response to Saxton's confession.

"Well sorry is not going to bring back Mac, nor will it help him understand that Richie forgave him and that I'm sorry for not telling him sooner." The words almost caught in her throat as the emotions of this encounter almost overwhelmed her. "Hestia, the I want the truth why did you stop me?"

"Is that what you truly wanted? To kill Duncan's teacher when he was in fact used in the same way that Duncan was used by evil and you yourself was used by evil!"

"The only person I can remember using and manipulating me was you." Saxton spat at Hestia although she knew deep down it was not true.

"I do not believe that is how you truly feel"

"Oh and now you know how I feel as well as what I should or should not do!"

"I know what you feel deep down yes. All things are connected in one form or another so it is possible for all to understand how others feel they just chose not to use that ability. I have never made you do anything you have not wanted to do. I have suggested things that you knew deep inside your heart but there was other things blocking those feelings from surfacing. Like just now with Conner, you knew deep down tat you should not kill him, that it would not bring Duncan back or make him understand that you and Richie forgave him but your guilt and anger towards Conner for what he did won out and fuelled your revenge."

"No Conner deserves to die for what he did to Duncan."

"If that is so, why did you stop when I asked you too?"

Saxton went to open her mouth for a reply but found she did not have one. Hestia was right, she did know deep down that Conner did not deserve what was going to happen to him. The guilt he must be feeling himself for what he had done was punishment enough. 

"I see you are learning."

"Adam let go!" Saxton turned and started walking away only to stop when she knew Adam was not following her. "Adam?"

"Where is he?"

"Adam what are you talking about?" Saxton asked puzzled by Adam's question towards Hestia.

"I want to know where Duncan is. She said that Duncan is as you once were, which I think means there is someone out there with Duncan's soul and memories just like you. You Saxton had a hard enough time trying to deal with what Mac did to you. Can you imagine what whomever got Duncan's memories has to deal with when the time comes? Not only the fact of what he did to Richie, but also the fact that he still believes that Saxton never forgave him, then add on to that knowing what it feels like to be betrayed by one of the people he trusted with his life." Adam directed his reply to both Hestia and Saxton while Conner stood silently in the background listening to every word spoken.

"I can not tell you that. All I can say is that when his time comes to rejoin he friends he will and you all will be there to help him through what is to come."

"That's not enough. You either tell me where he is and what name he's going by at the moment or I'll do something that you will regret at a later date, I'll destroy all hope for good to win this little war you have going." Adam said flatly looking Hestia dead in her eyes.

"I do not believe that you would truly do anything that would permanently destroy all hope for good."

"Wouldn't I? You know what I've done it in the past and you know what I'm capable of doing. Do you really believe that I wouldn't do as I say?"

"The only reason you once did the things that you did was because it was your way of surviving. Deep down in your soul you didn't want to kill like that."

"Is that true? Would you like to have a deeper look into my soul?" An evil smile crossed Adam's face, which made Saxton shiver with fear.

Hestia was shocked by what she saw, how is it possible for someone with a soul so black to be one of the main fighters on the side of good?

"Fine. Duncan is now going by the name of David Richards. He is at this moment in time in an orphanage in New York. That is all I will tell you, if you truly want to find him then the rest you will have to find out by yourself."

"Now we can go Sax!" Adam was the one to turn around and head back towards the car this time.

"I'm coming" both Saxton and Adam were shocked by Conner's announcement but refused to turn and acknowledge him.

When they reached the car Adam opened the drivers door while Saxton opened the passenger side door. Conner stopped his heart almost stopping, he hoped with all his heart they would allow him to go with them.

"Why should we let you go with us?" Adam almost hissed at Conner.

"Because I need to help. I need to let him know that it wasn't me that. That killed him."

Adam looked at Saxton waiting for her decision and when she solemnly nodded her head letting him know it was ok for Conner to come along they all silently got into the car. Adam watched Conner continuously through the rear view mirror for any signs of deception but saw none. All that was left of Conner was a broken man. Reaching into his coat his pulled out a rag and tossed it into the back seat for Conner to clean up the dried blood that still covered the lower half of his face. 


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: - Hey see i get a beta and more chapters come online faster. I would like to that Michael for been my beta and i've already sent the next two chapters so fingers crossed you'll get more soon._

_Once again please, please, please review. I like to hear what you think, good or bad let me know (if bad tho be warned i do tend to shout at the computer for a moment or so, but once i get over that i learn and i do take in what people tell me and try not to make the same mistakes again in future stories, as the stories that i tent to post are already completed and just waiting to be bated.)_

_Also (and yes i know i'm going on way to long and you wanna get on with the story) i have another unfinished (online, but completed story) that needs a beta, so if your interested let me know (the story BTW is Unknown). _

_Ok now on to the story :)_

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

David Richards sat quietly in the corner of the dark room in which even the shadows stayed still. His mind was filled with faces of people he had never seen before, faces he seemed to know but for some reason could not put names too them. There were also places that looked like far away places and from recent years past to a time when the people occupying those places wore strange clothes.

He remembered in one of these places there were never ending fields of green and a lake that was as black as the night's sky and as cold as snow. It was a strange place, as all the men seem to wear skirts. They spoke with an accent that was strange but at the same time he felt more familiar with that accent then with the one he listened to every day.

A young man of twenty-five called Richard Morris found David and was asked when he turned the infant in to the police to give the boy a name. Reluctantly he agreed and called him David after his grandfather and Richards after himself. It was two years tomorrow since he had been found and he remembered very little of his first few years of life. The staffs at the orphanage was telling him that it was his birthday tomorrow and that he should be happy but he did not want to be happy, he wanted to be away from here with people that would love him.

He was a one year old, two year old tomorrow but acted almost as old as some as the five or six year olds. The carer's were concerned about the way he seemed to mature for his age. The fact that he would rather sit around on his own getting lost is the images that he didn't understand rather then spend time playing with the other children was also worrying.

The reason he was sitting curled up in a ball in the corner of the room was the same reason as to why he was there every night, it was the only time he would get true peace and quiet and reflect on the images he had got flashes of that day.

There was no chance one of the another children wanting him to play a pointless game or no carer trying to get him to join the other children or even sit and talk with him themselves trying to find out what was upsetting him.

He enjoyed this time at night; it was so peaceful he could almost imagine that he was actually away at one of those far away places with the people he is seeing almost every day in his daydreams doing exciting things. Those dreams never came true though and it was almost too painful for him to think that way, but it was the only thing that got him away from reality for a small amount of time.

Tomorrow he was meeting some more adults who supposedly want to be his Mum and Dad but he knew it wasn't going to happen. They always came to see him but always went away with another little boy or girl that liked to play with other children more then he did.

Didn't they understand that he would prefer to be just left alone to his dream world?

A single tear leaked from his eye as the tiredness kicked in and he slipped into a fitful sleep thinking about the hopeful new parents he was going to get to take him away from this place hoping it was going to be someone as kind as in his dreams.

He was led into a small quiet room near all the offices. There was a sofa, a coffee table and a toy box in the corner for the children play with and if they were lucky their new parents would play with them as well.

David did as he usually did when he was led to this room and that he was to sit quietly on the sofa and wait to be disappointed once again when the adults did not want to take him home.

He was not sure how long he had been sitting there when the door finally opened and Mrs. Roselyn entered, who was one of the people that arranged for children to meet their new parents.

"Hello David, How are you feeling today? You excited about meeting the nice people today?" Mrs. Roselyn asked her voice bitterly sweet like always and the smile that distorted her face with disastrous results was as false as always. Her dislike for the children was clear for anybody to see, if they took the time to look into her eyes, but most people were too busy to notice.

David did not take his eyes off his hands that were crossed over his lap as he replied, what was clearly false excitement dripping from his ever word. "Yes Mrs. Roselyn I'm excited like always."

"Good, good they're here now so I'll just go get them and bring them to meet you. Their names are Mr. and Mrs. Parmer." With that Mr. Roselyn left the room once again leaving David to continue to sit in silence.

Minutes passed and still Mr. Roselyn did not return as she had said she would. David was just starting to climb down for the sofa, it been obvious that this Mr. and Mrs. Parmer did not want to see him after all when the door quietly opened and a lady he thought to be familiar walked in followed closely by a man whose face he remembered clearly from his dreams. Without realising a name escaped from his mouth, almost a whisper but loud enough for them to hear what he said.

"Methos!"

"Well I guess Hestia was wrong after all." Adam smirked as he sat down on the sofa and seemed to melt into it.

Saxton gave him a 'be quiet' look then turned back towards David. "Hello. You must be David. My name is Saxton, but you can call me Sax if you want. This is Adam." Saxton pointed to Adam who just nodded to David who was still looking puzzled at Adam.

"Mrs. Roselyn said I had to call you by Mr. and Mrs. Parmer." David replied his voice still almost a whisper.

"If you want to call us Mr. and Mrs. Parmer you can but we would prefer if you call us by Adam and Sax!" Saxton smiled reassuringly at him and for the first time in a long time David smiled right back at her. The feeling that he knew her returned and once again another name found its way out of his mouth without him even realising it.

"Richie!"

The smile grew bigger on Saxton's face at that name. "I guess he does remember after all."

Adam sat forward on the edge of the sofa and asked David to come towards him. "Would you like to come home with us David? Would you like me and Sax to be your new Mum and Dad?"

David did not know what to do. He had been through countless meetings like this but never had the adults offered to take him home with them so that they could be his new parents. He stood staring at Adam for a long time not truly believing what he was hearing.

"Well is that a yes? Do you want me and Sax to be your new Mum and Dad?"

"Y… yes sir." David stammered hoping beyond hope that this was not just another dream.

"Fine then. You stay here and keep Sax company and I'll go look for Mrs. Roselyn and get the paperwork started."

Once he saw that David nodded he got completely off his seat and left the room leaving him alone with Saxton.

"So David what colour do you want your room. We've got everything for your room organised already we were just thinking that you may want to pick out the colour yourself."

"Could… Could I have it blue please?"

"Yeah sure you can have blue if you want. How about you help me paint it when we get home?"

"Are you taking me home today?" David asked hopefully.

"Hopefully yeah. Do you want that? To come home today with me and Adam?"

"Yes, I don't like it here."

"Then I guess you'll be coming home with us." Saxton moved closer to him and whispered in his ear. "Even if we have to break you out of here and away from that evil Mrs. Roselyn?"

"Mrs Roselyn doesn't like children." He stated as if it was the only important information he had knowledge of.

"I know. I've seen hundreds of people like that in my time and I can see the resentment in her eyes." Saxton said sweetly trying to reassure him that she wasn't like that.

"Resempent? What does that mean?" David asked mispronouncing resentment.

"Resentment means that she doesn't like children because of what they are. I'm guessing it's because she had a horrible childhood, then the fact that she has to look for happy families for you children makes her bitter that someone never did that for her."

Just as Saxton was finishing up with her explanation Adam walked back into the room with a smile on his face. "David, have you got anything that you want to take with you?" Adam asked.

"No sir."

"Ok then. Let's get going. We've got a flight to catch."

"Were going on an aeroplane?" David asked a spark him his eyes as the possibility of visiting those far away places became a possibility.

"Yes, were going on an aeroplane." Adam answered as he put his hands out and waited for David to come close enough to him so he could pick him up.

"I've never been on an aeroplane before." David's face was almost splitting with the smile that was now on his face.

"Well come on then lets get you onto that aeroplane."

"So are you really going to be my new daddy?" David asked the question that was nagging at the back of his thoughts.

"Yeah I'm going to be your Dad and Sax is going to be your Mum."

"Good, I like you. You have a big nose." David said innocently.

Saxton giggled as she followed Adam down the hall, out of the orphanage and towards a car. "What do you find so funny Sax?" Adam asked as they reached the car.

"Oh nothing, I'm just getting the feeling that this is just going to be like old times. You, Mac, Richie and Joe all gathered around taking the piss out of each other." Saxton replied in between giggles.

"Yeah apart from Richie is now in the body of a woman and Mac is in the body of a two year old." Adam said raising an eyebrow at her.

"Like I said. Just like old times!" She smirked again then moved closer to Adam and giving him a gentle kiss on the lips. "It's going to be ok now isn't it? The group's going to be back together to help one another through what's to come in the next few years."

"Yeah that right. It's all going to work out from now on."

"Good!" Saxton gave Adam another gentle kiss on the lips then placed another on David's forehead that was still in Adam's arms then moved away and watched as Adam placed David into the child's car seat.

"I still can't believe it took you almost a year for you to find him." Saxton could finally tease Adam about taking so long to find Mac, now that they finally had the group back together.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Arriving in Seacouver Adam pulled up to the Dojo that Duncan had owned since first buying it the year Tessa died and Richie was newly immortal. They all discovered that when Mac died he left Joe everything, which surprised the Watcher.

Deciding to keep it open, as it would be a good place for his immortal friends to come and practise when they were in town he hired a manager and left it to run itself with explicit instructions that there was to be no one there after hours. 

Adam had called him and let him know about Duncan been reincarnated like Richie and Joe had agreed to let Adam, Saxton and David stay in the loft until their new house was finished been decorated and fitted out.

It was just turning midnight as Adam pulled his car behind the Dojo and nudged the sleeping Saxton to wake her up. 

"What? Oh we're here?" Saxton asked sleepily as she rubbed her eyes. "I'll get David, you go unlock the loft and I'll be there in a minute."

"Ok." Adam got out of the car and walked towards the stairs leading up to the back door of the loft.

Saxton retrieved the sleeping David out of the child car seat successful in not waking him up and quickly locked the car and followed where Adam had headed up towards the loft moments before.

She entered the loft finding it was more or less the same as when she had last seen it through Richie's eyes. The only difference was, now there was a small child's size bed, which had been squeezed into the space between the sofa and the king size bed.

She thought Joe must have been looking after the place, as there was not one speck of dust or cobweb to be seen. She placed David in the child's bed and removed his shoes and socks then tucked him in, making a mental note to go shopping for clothes for him in the morning. 

Once she was sure David was comfortable where he was she turned and tried hard not to laugh at the sight before her. Joe obviously remembered Adam's addiction to beer and had stocked the fridge with beer and food, but mostly beer. Adam was leaned up against the kitchen counter, his eyes closed in pleasure as he leisurely drank from a brown bottle.

"What food did Joe leave us?" Saxton asked as she walked over to Adam and took the beer bottle from his hand and placing it on the counter as she pressed herself to his firm body.

"You hungry?" Adam asked as he kissed her, his lips still held the taste of the bitter beer.

"Not really." A smile played across her lips as she kissed Adam back.

"Let's go to bed."

"Oh, great minds definitely think alike!"

David awake to the smell of cooking bacon and someone talking quietly in the background, he knew though without waking up fully there was no way of making out what they were saying. Opening his eyes he found himself in an unfamiliar yet very familiar place. He sat up and saw Saxton and Adam in the kitchen area where Adam was cooking and Saxton had her arms rapped around him talking quietly into his ear. 

He pushed the covers off himself and walked over to the kitchen area and climbed onto one of the stools.

"Good morning David. How are you feeling today?" Saxton asked as she turned around at hearing a noise, slightly shocked to see that he had managed to climb up onto one of those stools.

"I'm hungry." David quietly replied.

"Do you want a bacon sandwich?"

David nodded his head positive he wanted a sandwich and moments later Adam turned around, plate in hand and put the plate in front of David. "Careful it may still be slightly warm for you."

"Ok!" David smiled as he poked the sandwich testing to see if it was too hot for him. Finding it wasn't too hot after all he picked up one half of the sandwich and started taking small bits.

"Once you're finished with that go get cleaned up, I'm taking you shopping for some new clothes."

"And some blue paint?" David asked hopefully momentarily forgetting about his sandwich.

"Yes and some blue paint, well even stop by at the house so that you can see what your new room looks like."

"So this isn't where we're going to live?"

"No there just finishing a few things off but it should be ready by the end of the week then we'll move in. This is just a loft that a friend has let us stay in while the house gets finished off."

"Oh!"

"What's wrong?" Adam asked seeing the disappointment on David's face.

"I like it here."

"But it's not big enough here. In the new house you'll have your own room."

David turned his attention back to his sandwich and almost whispered his reply. "Ok!"

Just then the lift started to rise from the Dojo and David looked towards it expectedly. The gate lifted and Joe walked into the loft followed closely by Conner. On seeing Conner, Saxton noticed the colour drained from David's face as he looked at him in horror.

Climbing down off the stool David walked over to where Saxton was still standing and whispered that he was going to get cleaned up and then quickly left for the bathroom the sandwich forgotten completely.

"What wrong with the kid?" Joe asked when he saw the bathroom door close.

"He seems to remember a few things. I think he's afraid of Conner. He was fine until he came into the loft and the colour just drained from his face. I think he remembers that Conner killed Duncan." Saxton admitted as everybody took a seat on the two sofas.

They sat silently thinking for a few moments about what that meant for the group of friends. Each drifting into their own thoughts they didn't notice the bathroom door open and David come back into the room until he was pulling himself up onto the sofa and holding tightly on to Saxton.

"Can we go shopping now?" David whispered only loud enough for Saxton to hear what he was saying.

"We'll go in a minute; I just want you to meet some friends of Adam and mine. This is Joe, the person who's letting us stay in the loft until the house is ready." Saxton pointed to Joe who smiled at David who couldn't help but smile back.

"You play music?" David asked as an image of Joe playing his guitar flash before his eyes.

"Yeah kid, I do." Joe smiled thinking he was going to like this kid.

"My name is David, Mr Joe can you teach me to play?" David asked causing Joe to laugh.

"Sure I can."

Once the laughter had once again died, Saxton continued by pointing at Conner. "This is Conner."

David gripped tighter to Saxton's arm then whispered. "He is a bad man."

"Why do you say that?"

"I saw what he did to the man with the long dark hair."

"He's not a bad man David, he's a good person. Are you going to say hello to him?"

"Ok. Hello Mr Conner." He said as he clung to Saxton's arm for protection.

"Hello David." Conner said sadly noticing the fear clearly showing in the boy's eyes.

"Go get your shoes on then and we'll get going." Saxton said as she lifted David off of her knee. He ran to his bed and quickly slid his shoes and socks on his feet then ran back to Saxton and pulled her to her feet and they were in the lift and gone moments later.

"I'm sorry Conner. I guess Hestia was wrong when she said that he wouldn't remember until he was ready." Adam said slouching back into the sofa.

"It's not your fault. If it's anybody's it's mine, I was the one that killed Duncan." The guilt in Conner voice was almost heartbreaking for Adam and Joe to hear, but they couldn't help but feel like he was right. He should suffer for what he did to Duncan. That was not the case though as there was another voice at the back of their minds stating that he was been controlled and he could not stop what he did not want to do.

"Come on Conner you know as well as anyone that you weren't to blame. Did you blame Duncan for what happened with Richie?" Adam asked.

"Of course not."

"Then why are you beating yourself up for doing the same thing as what happened to Duncan? Why do you have to feel the guilt when he didn't?"

"Because I should have been able to stop myself. Duncan was like a brother to me and I killed him unarmed. I killed him and I know deep down if I truly wanted to stop myself I could have. I didn't fight hard enough. When Duncan killed Richie he was seeing illusions everywhere and he believed that Richie was just another of Ahriman's tricks, I had no such excuse. I was been pulled to Paris. First I didn't know where, but when I found out where I was going and what I had to do I could have fought it. I could have turned around and headed back home, but I didn't. I killed Duncan and there is nothing I can do to bring him back. I can only hope for his forgiveness." 


	18. Chapter 18

_A/N: - First off I think i need to apologise to my wonderful beta as i called her michael rather then Michaela. So sorry :)_

Here's the next chapter hope you like. Please, Please, Please review. I like reviews :)

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Chapter Eighteen

Soft music played in the background of the dimly lit room that was only lit by the flickering flames of the log fire that burnt undisturbed in the fireplace.

A muffled moan came from the direction of the sofa, which was followed quickly by a shushing noise and then the quite sound of kisses raining down on skin.

The squeak from the direction of the stairs went unnoticed by the couple on the sofa until suddenly the lights were flicked on and an annoyed voice flooded the room.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Ben, formally known as Ben bellowed at seeing David and a young girl of sixteen that he had been dating for the last two months scramble for items of clothing that had been discarded in their hast to remove them.

"Dad, this isn't what it looks like." David put on his most innocent voice but the look in Ben's eyes clearly showed that it wasn't working.

"Funny, it clearly looked like two completely naked sixteen year olds were getting up to something they shouldn't be!"

"I can explain!"

"I'm sure you can try! But for now get to bed while I call Jodie's Dad to come pick her up."

"Oh come on Dad you said she could stay."

"That was before the two of you started your explorations of each other. Now bed before I change my mind about only grounding you for a month and decide to go for a year instead." Ben said refusing to change his mind on the whole thing.

"God you are so unfair!" David stormed past Ben and upstairs slamming his bedroom door.

A red faced Jodie in front of him clinging desperately onto the few sparse items of clothing she had managed to pick up looked on not sure what to do. "Please don't tell my Dad!" She pleaded knowing it was no good.

"Go get dressed while I call your Dad." Ben said flatly as he turned and left her standing there and headed towards the kitchen.

On reaching the kitchen he found a grinning Saxton huddled over the kitchen table a hand over her mouth in an attempt to muffle her laughter.

"And what do you find so amusing?" Ben asked a small smile gracing his own face.

"Oh the fact that your lecturing David about having sex at the age of sixteen; yet you would have more then likely done the same."

"That's not the point it was a completely different time and plus, I never got caught doing anything I shouldn't have been doing."

"Oh well that makes all the difference." Saxton smirked and came over to Ben and pulled him into her arms. "So then does this mean I'm in for some stories of adventures of the five thousand year old man?"

"Oh I don't know. If I'd told you I'd have to shot you."

"Oh I think I'd live. Go put the coffee on, I'll call Jodie's Dad and say she's not feeling well."

"Ok." Ben kissed her once again and then pulled away and went towards the coffee maker while Saxton headed towards the phone, which was attached the wall near the kitchen door.

She had just put the phone down when Jodie gingerly entered the kitchen now fully dressed, although her face was still the brightest shade of crimson either Ben or Saxton had seen in a long time.

"We've told your dad that you're not feeling well Jodie; what you decide to tell his is up to you." Saxton tried to reassure her as all of them took a seat at the kitchen table. Ben and Saxton had a cup of coffee in front of them while Jodie decided on a glass of pop.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Mr Parmer." Jodie spoke not taking her eyes off her hands.

"Just don't let me catch the two of you at it again, otherwise I will tell your Dad and I've got a feeling that if that happened, he would stop you seeing David all together."

"Yes, sir"

They sat in silence for the half an hour it took Jodie's Dad to arrive then Jodie was ushered away with her slightly suspicious Father.

Once the house was quiet once again, Saxton and Ben retreated back to bed where they couldn't hold back the laughter that they had been holding in since Ben first heard David and Jodie.

The next morning Ben was the first to wake up as usual. Because of the events of the night before it wasn't as early as he usually awake and he knew Saxton and David wouldn't far behind him waking up, so he decided to start making breakfast.

Saxton was the next one down and she quickly busied herself making the highly needed coffee, in an attempt to wake herself up. The kitchen soon filled with the scent of bacon cooking and the rich aroma of coffee.

When David finally made it down he refused to speak, not even to Saxton who had nothing to do with the events from the night before. He silently sat eating his toast, bacon and scrambled eggs while his parents continued with their own conversation.

Ben and Saxton tensed slightly as they felt the approach of another immortal but as they thought David didn't know about immortals, they didn't indicate someone was coming. Ben stealthy reached for his coat, which was un-ceremonially thrown over the back of his chair feeling inside the folds for his Ivanhoe.

Ben and Saxton found that after their initial meeting with David he didn't seem to possess any knowledge of immortals so playing it safe they never mentioned immortals to or around David.

There was a gentle knock on the back door and Saxton let out a slight breath she didn't realise she was holding knowing that it was more then likely a friendly immortal as an enemy would not have taken the time to knock.

"I'll get it!" Ben said getting up from his seat taking his coat with him at which David raised an eyebrow.

Pulling the door open Ben was relieved to be face to face with Samantha.

"Hey Ben!" Samantha smiled and then casually walked past him and into the kitchen taking a seat beside Saxton and helping herself to the food in the centre without asking.

"I'm fine thank you Samantha, great to see you. No it's not like we see you every day or anything. Help yourself to the food while you're at it." Ben sarcastically stated at Samantha's usual antics.

"Get over it Ben." Samantha shot back at him through her mouthful of food. Once the food was safely in her mouth, Samantha started to look around at the others and noticed Saxton unlike normal, had a smile on her face, while David who usually had a smile on his face looked more annoyed then happy this morning. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Saxton asked not catching on to what Samantha was talking about.

"With David. He's acting like he's been grounded for the next ten years."

"No not ten years, just a month." Ben said then started chomping on a slice of bacon.

"You've grounded him for a month? What for?"

"Lets just said he got caught in a compromising position!" Saxton smirked although she was trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh no. David, please tell me you didn't get caught. What have I told you? Do whatever you want just don't get caught." Samantha said shaking her head in denial while trying to keep a straight face.

At that Ben gave Samantha a stern look. "So that's where all David's rebellious attitude has come from?"

"Oh come off it Ben how much crap have you got up to got away with over the years?"

"That's not the point at least I was able to avoid getting caught. To be honest I only think I've ever been caught once doing something I shouldn't have." Ben replied as innocently as he could.

David looked up at that and rose from his seat looking at his father with a steaming look on his face. "You used to do it all the time and yet you still ground me over it?"

"Sit down David and act your age for once." Ben waited until David was once again sitting down then continued. "One, I never said I didn't get into as much crap as you, hell I got up to a lot more then you. What I did say is that I never got caught. Two, I am your father and it is up to me to set rules, I choose what you can and cannot do while your still living under my roof. The rules I put down are there for your overall benefit. You may not be able to see that at the moment but it is. Like last night you were caught having sex with a sixteen year old girl, what would you have done if she came back to you in a few months time saying she was pregnant?"

"I would of turn round and told her the truth that I can't have kids, that she better go back to the looser she'd been fucking behind my back!" David didn't back down and looked Ben dead in the eyes.

"Oh and what may I ask gives you the impression that you can't have kids?"

"Oh… I don't know. It's a fact that immortals can't have kids even before they turn immortal. And the fact that me being destined to become immortal, I can't have kids."

The two female immortals looked up from their breakfast at that and joined Ben in looked dumbly at David.

"How do you know about immortals?"

"You're kidding right? I've known about them since before meeting you remember. I know that your real name Dad is Methos, and I know that Mum has been immortal only if not less sixteen years. I know Samantha has been immortal for a while, but no where as long as you."

"If you knew about immortals, why didn't you say anything?" Saxton couldn't help but ask, as she was the first one to recover from the shock.

"Well seen as though you never talked about things like that in front of me, I just assumed you didn't think I was old enough to discuss it."

"How much do you actually remember?"

"All of it, at first I just got the flashes and thought I was imagining it all, then I met you and Dad. I realised then that it wasn't just me making it up. The reason I clung to you when Conner came to the loft that morning was because I remember what he did to me, well Duncan. Then I remember Hestia and all that she did, put my soul in this body and so on. Once Hestia realised what was happening, she paid me a visit about a year ago and made sure that I understand all that had happened. Plus I did tell one person, I told Joe when he was alive. We used to talk about old times when he used to be my watcher."

The Group couldn't do anything but stare in shock at David because of what he had just said.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Hestia watched as all but two of the group, which would help defeat the evil which was nearing, sat around the kitchen table discussing whether or not David should have told the group that he was aware of his own dormant immortality. She had been waiting for this day ever since Ben and Saxton had found David after a year of searching.

It was just as she had planned all along, making them believe that they were doing something against what she in fact wanted all along. David was with the people that needed to forgive him and also will soon be in the presence of the ones that he needed to forgive.

David knew by now that the soul of Saxton and Richie forgave Duncan for what happened that day at the racetrack and was grateful for that knowledge. Conner was the one that David needed to forgive and the only reason he has not forgiven him yet was the fact that he has not been to visit since David was seven years old.

Noticing that all was going to plan Hestia smiled and vanished from the room and then found herself in the living room of a quaint cottage in Scotland and his sole occupant, Conner MacLeod.

Planting the suggestion she needed to, she smiled as he suddenly felt the urge to pay a visit to the Parmer's. Once Conner was heading to his bedroom to start packing for the journey, she left the cottage. 

When she reappeared again this time she was in a small kitchen area of a one bedroom flat. The last piece of the puzzle sat hunched over the kitchen table tears slowly falling from her eyes as she remember the friends she has not been in contact with for the last fifteen years to this day. 

Although that was not an unusual occurrence between immortals it was in this case. There normally wasn't a year that went by that her friends didn't turn up on her doorstep unrepentantly or called for a quick catch up. 

The last time she had seen Saxton it was when she had gone to try and change her mind about killing her teacher to get Duncan's quickening. When she returned from that trip Samantha had already left for parts unknown and had not been in contact since. She felt alone and left out, to not have one single phone call from Saxton who she had called a friend for over twenty five years and in Samantha's case she had known her from the beginning of her immortality over two hundred years ago.

The fact that her friends could forget about her so readily was unbelievable. She had heard through other friends that Saxton was now married to Adam, who was now known as Ben. The thought of not even been informed about that little piece of information felt like someone had just gutted her. 

She had stayed where she was, staying well beyond what was advised for an immortal as youthful looking as herself was to stay in the same place hoping that either Samantha or Saxton would remember her. 

The only time she now in fact left the flat was when she had to go get the basic groceries and then she tried to spend as little time as possible out and about.

Hestia felt a tear of sadness fall gently down her cheek at the feeling of loneliness that radiated from the immortal before her. Knowing she had to do what had to be done; Hestia put the suggestion in Romona's mind that she had to travel to Seacouver as a matter of urgency. 

Something she was not expecting to happen happened; Romona looked up from her hands and looked Hestia in the eyes. That was not possible as Hestia was still invisible to her. Romona nodded, got up from her seat and turned laving the kitchen to her bedroom to pack for her trip.

Hestia was slightly spooked by Romona's apparent knowledge of her presence when she should not have even been aware of her existence at all. Shaking her head in denial Hestia disappeared once again to go back and watch over the Parmer family once again.

It was a few days later when David was the only in the house and he sat in the living room the television flickering in the background which went unnoticed as David typed away on a laptop. 

Ben, Saxton and Samantha had all headed to what was now his dojo. Joe had felt it would be appropriate to leave the dojo to David as it was once Duncan's after all. He still found it hard to believe even to this day that Joe left everything to him. The bar, the dojo even his house, hell the only thing he didn't leave to him was most of his money, which was left to his estranged daughter Amy, feeling he was obliged to leave her something as after all she was his daughter.

He missed Joe more then he could possibly believe. He knew him as a friend when he was alive as Duncan MacLeod and then when he had been reincarnated as David Roberts (Renamed Parmer after Saxton and Ben had officially adopted him) and Joe tended to treat him like a grandfather would their grandchild. 

He missed the days in which he spent with Joe playing the blues at the bar having learnt how to play from Joe himself, who was always eager to spoil his favourite grandson. From the time he was able to hold a guitar to the very day Joe died, when he got in the way of an immortal challenge between Saxton and a still unknown immortal, David had loved playing the blues with Joe. 

David had only just a few days ago found out how Joe had truly died, as Ben and Saxton didn't know how to break the news that Joe died because an immortal who wanted leverage over Saxton. 

His first thoughts when he found out was disbelieve, Joe was not an active watcher anymore. Why would he be in the middle of an immortal challenge? That was when he found out that Joe still felt responsible for not getting to Richie in time to save his life and when it looked like Saxton was winning, he moved in to help his friend after the quickening had past, but before Saxton could perform the killing stroke, the mystery immortal jumped and grabbed Joe and held him hostage.

The thought of Joe standing pressed against the immortal's body as an arm wrapped around his throat flashing to his mind and he tried to shake away the scary images. In order to flee and avoid been followed the immortal stabbed Joe with his sword and let him drop boundlessly to the ground. Saxton had rushed him to a hospital, but it was too late. Joe had died in the back seat of their family car. 

The doctors had told her that if Joe had been a younger man there would have been a possibility that he would have survived. The memorial they held for him was small; only the few immortal friends of Joe's had came, Amy called Ben to let him know that she couldn't make it too the memorial, to Ben's disappointment.

David found it ironic that Joe lived when he had his legs blown apart in Vietnam thanks to an immortal saving his life only to have another immortal take his life away from him in the end. Most of his friends were either immortals or watchers. In a way some could say he lived for immortals. He had only known that way of living for the longest time and if anybody would have cared to ask him, David was sure he would have replied it was all he wanted.

A tear slowly made its way down David's face at the memory of the friend that taught him everything he knew about the blues and loved like a grandfather drifted through his mind. He was his confidant, who he would trust with the secrets that he remembered and things he didn't feel comfortable discussing with his parents.

A gentle knocking on the door broke into his thoughts. He quickly put the laptop on to the coffee table and wiped a lone tear from his face. He rose from where he had been sitting on the sofa shaking the last of the memories from his clouded mind and walked to the front door. 

Opening the door he found himself face to face with a dark haired woman, who looked familiar to him but knew he had never seen her, in this life at least. "Err. Can I help you?"

Romona gave David a curious look and put on a smile on her face that she clearly wasn't feeling. "Maybe. I'm looking for Saxton Thomson. Is she here?"

"No she's out with Dad and some friends. And by the way its Parmer now has been for over fourteen years." David for some reason felt at ease with this woman in a way that he couldn't work out.

Feeling another stab of loneliness at David's word although he didn't realise what he had said, she continued. "Yeah, I forgot she got married to him." 

"So you know her then and are not just out for her head?" David asked noticing the heavy bulk of a hidden sword in the folds of her leather jacket. After all he had spent most of his life living with two immortals who liked to hide sword in their jackets, it didn't take much if you know what to look for after all.

Once again Romona was taken by David's words and she almost laughed. "So they told you about immortals then?"

"No I already knew about them." Suddenly David smiled and his face seemed to brighten. "Romona, that's it, it Romona isn't it. I thought I recognised you!"

"You know me?"

"Well yeah" David cut off his explanation not knowing how much Romona know about the whole reincarnation thing. "Well mum's been trying to get hold of you since I was a kid but she could never seem to find you. She got really upset a few years back; I'm guessing she thought you'd lost a challenge or something, when you never responded to any of her messages. Even Sam went looking for you at one point and she couldn't find you. Came back and said that your old place looked like it had been emptied for years." David covered.

"That's not possible. I've been staying in my old flat for the past sixteen years waiting for them to get in touch. Hell I even stayed longer then I should have."

"Well you'll have to ask Mum and Sam when they get home."

"I think that's going to be the best. Where are they anyway?"

"They've gone out to discuss the fact that I've known about immortals for a long time and never told any of them that I knew. They should be back within the hour. Why don't you come and wait inside?"

"Thanks. By the way who are you?"

"David! Mom and Dad adopted me when I was two years old."

"Oh so Ben and Sax are your parents?" Romona guessed.

"Yeah!"

"I never pictured Saxton as the motherly type."

They walked into the living room and Romona took a seat on the sofa as David went into the kitchen and got himself and Romona a drink.

He was just pouring the water out of the kettle into the cups when the back door opened and in came Saxton, Ben, Samantha and Conner.

"Who's here?" Ben asked pulling out his sword.

"Calm down Dad." David shook his head. "Do you really think I'll be making coffee for someone who'd come head hunting you guys?"

"Well, who's here then?" Saxton asked as she put an arm on Ben's arm to stop him from racing through the house until he got some answers.

"Why don't you all go into the living room and find out!?"

"Why should we when you could tell us NOW!"

Smirking David found he couldn't help himself. "But where would all the fun in that be?"

"Fine. We'll go and see who's in the living room." Ben sarcastically drawled, then turned with the rest of them and walked towards the living room and their mystery 


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

"ROMONA!" Saxton all but screamed as she entered the living room and rushed over to the immortal, which had stood up from the sofa once she felt the presence of several immortals, and gathered her into a hug. Samantha joined the hug moments later as Ben was shaking his head with a smile on his face. Conner smiled, as it had been a long time since he had last seen his student.

"Oh God, Romona we thought you were dead." Samantha finally said as tears of happiness starting their journey down all of the three female immortal's faces. 

"Why? I've stayed in the same flat for sixteen years. Even when I've known that I should have moved on, I stayed just in case you came looking for me. It wasn't till a woman, well I think it was a woman, showed up at the flat and planted an impulse to come to Seacouver that I realised what was going on."

"You saw Hestia?" Saxton asked shocked.

"Well not seen her, but I sensed her presence. Then, when I got the sudden urge to come to Seacouver, I knew she was influencing my actions. Normally I wouldn't have come, but I got a feeling deep down that it could lead to finding you and it did."

Ben was thinking about the only reason why Hestia was bringing them all together, took Saxton into his arms and hugged her close. "Well if Hestia's pulling us all together, then that means the battle is about to come to a head."

"What battle?" Romona asked confused.

"The battle between good and evil." Ben started. "Hestia told us before Mac died that there was going to be this all mighty battle between good and evil and we as a group were here to battle for the side of good."

"So this Hestia is supposed to be all good?" Romona asked sceptical.

Ben looked at her puzzled noticing the sceptical tone of voice. "Guess so! Why?"

"Because she's full of crap. There is no pure goodness. Nothing can be all good, it's not possible and same as there can be no pure evil." Romona was surprised to see puzzled looks on everyone's faces including David's who had entered the room mid conversation, holding a tray full of cups containing what she thought might be coffee.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean things aren't as plain black and white. Everything and everyone has parts of good and evil in them. This Hestia person cannot be pure good as there's no such thing, same with the fact that there can't be something that's pure evil. For example, Saxton when you found out about Mac's death, you were devastated you were unable to tell him about your forgiveness and that of Richie's, because of that fact you went on a quest for revenge. Something you knew you shouldn't have done, as you knew it couldn't bring Mac back but at the same time you needed it to end. What you thought you were doing for a good cause was actually done by bad means." Romona didn't notice the sudden looks that passed between David, Saxton and Ben, but she did notice David pale slightly, but didn't think anything of it, assuming it was just that the sixteen year old boy didn't want to discuss death and revenge.

Before Romona could continue with her speech David interrupted her. "You were going to kill Conner because of what he did to Duncan? What… What stopped you?" David asked taking a seat on the sofa as his feet suddenly felt like jelly.

"David, this is not the way I wanted to discuss this with you. I'm sorry I should have told you sooner but it never seemed the right time."

"You didn't have to talk to me about it. He understood. Hestia told him the truth, told me the truth over and over again until she believed that I believed it. But she didn't have to. I knew that Richie had forgiven me a long time ago. I knew that you were just having a hard time with what was happening with Richie's memories and that given time you would come to realise it as well."

"Ok, will someone please explain what's going on?" Romona asked in confusion.

"Rommy, you know about how Sax turned out to be the reincarnated form of Richie Ryan?" Samantha went into explain mode, letting the Parmer's think things through.

"Yeah!"

"Well, you see when Duncan died the same way as Richie; Hestia reincarnated his soul into David. That's the reason why Sax didn't take Conner's head. Hestia showed up and told them that Duncan's soul was out there just like Sax held Richie's. It took them a year to finally find him and once they did, they adopted him."

"So what you're basically telling me is that we have Conner, you, me, Ben, Richie and Duncan all present in the room?"

"In the sense of their souls are all present, then yes."

"GOD! Have I just walked into the twilight light zone or something?" Romona pursed trying to get all the new information settled but she knew there was only one way to truly get some answers. "Ok, Hestia I know you're here. Show yourself now!" Romona tried to control her temper, as she looked towards a corner of the living room where no one was standing, or so it seemed.

Suddenly Hestia appeared with a soothing smile on her face. "Romona, it is good to finally see that you have joined the group."

"Don't you mean it's good that your plans are working out?"

"I do not understand what you mean, Romona!"

"Yeah, ok I'll believe you, NOT! You know what I mean. You made it appear that I was no longer living at that flat when Sam came looking for me. David mentioned earlier that Sax had left messages for me. Messages that I never received. You know full well what I'm talking about. You know that I would be the one to talk reason here and not believe someone that's made themselves out to be a Goddess. You know that there would be no chance that I would allow you to manipulate my friends in this way."

"You are indeed more perceptive then I first anticipated. I would never have thought that you would be able to sense my presence for one thing. But it is too late for you to protest, as the force I have been anxious for you to meet, will be along shortly."

"What if we choose not to fight?" Ben asked as he released hold on Saxton and came to stand beside Romona.

"Then you will loose more then you ever thought possible Methos. You, who have lived so long, should know that I do what has to be done. You and your brothers from three thousand years ago are proof of that fact."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, didn't you find it odd one day waking up with your brothers and just deciding to go slaughter a few villages?" The smile never left Hestia's face as she showed a slightly darker part of herself. "Didn't it seem odd that you never had a thirst for blood until that day and then it almost drowns you? That time, evil needed an extra edge on the scale and I asked your brothers for help. When they agreed like I knew they would, I just simply dulled their guilt for what they did. Unfortunately you, Methos, were a slight problem. I know you wouldn't agree to anything that would involve killing innocents, so I just planted suggestion after suggestion and you never worked it out. It all turned wrong though, when you captured the immortal known as Cassandra. I did not anticipate for you to fall in love and that was my downfall. When Kronos demanded you shared, I tried to change his mind, as I knew it would be the beginning of the end for the horsemen and it was. This time I have planned everything down to the tiniest detail; there is nothing you can do anymore other then to confront the one that is coming."

Ben had turned red with anger and his fist continually tightened during the time that Hestia was talking. How could someone be so evil? "You did that?" He hissed. "I was going through living hell for a couple of millennia and you were responsible for it all? I thought, I finally found someone to live through the centuries with me and YOU destroyed that chance?" Ben by now was standing almost only an inch in front of Hestia; the anger burning in his eyes was almost as strong as it was back in the days he rode with the horsemen.

"I did what had to be done for balance."

That was it. Ben couldn't take anymore and grabbed Hestia by the throat and pushed her back against the wall. Her face loosing the calming effect as it turned to an evil scrawl. "If you think you can stop me by damaging this form, you are mistaken."

"You stop all this crap NOW! Stop whatever or whoever is on its way here before anything happens or so help me, I will tip the scales and it won't be for the side of good. You've seen what I'm capable of, so you know I'm not kidding."

"Like I said before, what you did when you were part of the horsemen, you didn't do of your own free will. You are not evil! You aren't capable of doing evil!"

"One thing you should know about me though is that I will do anything to survive. I will also do anything that helps the people I care about to survive; as you should know that if you are as observant as you claim to be. I risked losing my life freeing myself from the horsemen after Cassandra escaped and I risked exposing myself as Methos for Alexa." Ben scrawled at her once again and then continued in a voice that clearly showed everyone in the room he wasn't kidding. "I will risk everything and I mean EVERYTHING for Saxton and David!"

"Even if that means them leaving you, because of what you do?!"

"If they're safe, then yes! I would rather have them safe and hating me, then them dead."

"I do not believe that you would do anything to cause Saxton and David to leave you so the plan continues."

"I won't leave him in fact I'll help him!" Saxton spoke up moving to stand by her husband.

"You can count me in too!" David moved forward and stood on the other side of Ben.

Conner, Samantha and Romona quickly followed the lead of Saxton and David, vowing to do evil if the plans Hestia had set out for them was to continue.

"I do not believe that any of you would truly do that, which is why I picked you to battle on the side of good."

"Then as I said before you are truly mistaken." With that Ben made a quick movement and snapped Hestia's neck and released his hold on her and she dropped lifelessly to the ground.

"What do we do now?" Saxton voiced the question that was on all of their lips.

Ben wanted to know everyone opinion before stating his next plan. "Did you mean what you said?" He asked not turning around. "Do you really mean that you're willing to do whatever it takes?"

"Whatever it takes!" Saxton, Conner, Samantha, Romona and David said in unison.

Ben's face turned serious as he turned and looked at his gathered friends, hoping beyond anything that they were truly willing to accept what they had to do. "Then I think it's about time we start planning our next move." 


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

"What do you have in mind, Ben?" Conner asked as he retook his seat.

"Like we did with the Horsemen, start small then gradually increase installing terror as we go."

"So, where do we start?"

"Well first we need money. Although I have a healthy bank balance, I will not appreciate using that to stop Hestia; so let's think about ways we can get hold of a large amount of money and fast." By now Ben and Saxton had taken a seat on the sofa and were holding on to one another in a reassuring way.

"How about robbing a bank?" David suggested.

"That's not going to be good enough. Conner, how good are you with computers?" Ben suddenly found an idea floating around and hoping it would be good enough to work.

"Err, well I'm ok, I guess, but Samantha and Romona are better."

"Either of you ever done any hacking?" Ben asked as he faced Samantha and Romona, who were still standing.

"Yes. I try to keep up as computers changes, so I think I'm pretty much up to date as well."

"What about you Romona?"

"I've been living with the computer since loosing contact with Samantha and Saxton, so I've had time to catch up on new programs and such and considering my main source of income has come through hacking as of late you can say; yeah I've had experience hacking."

"Good! Here's what were going to do. Has anyone seen the film called Hacker made in the early or late 1990's?" When Samantha and Romona both nodded that they had, he continued. "Well, we do the same. Plant a worm that nibbles away at the money and deposits it in one of many accounts that we're going to set up. We're not just going to settle with just one company though we're going to attack every major financial company throughout world and the best thing is if we do this right they won't even know what's happened."

"But how long is it going to take to collect enough money to be of use to us?"

"It should take no more then a week or so for me to create the worm and with Samantha and Romona's help another few days to implant it in to the companies. If we start today we should have enough money in two weeks."

"Two weeks then that's when we start the first part of our plan to plan to install terror?" Saxton shifted on the sofa moving further into Ben's embrace.

"Exactly!"

"Any idea, what are going to do for the first part of the plan?" David asked slightly unsure.

"Not at the moment, but give me time to think about it and I should have some ideas for you to work with by the end of today."

"So it's not long until we cross the point of no return?" Saxton asked sorrowfully.

"I think it's up to Hestia now, and I don't think she's going to back down. It looks like we're in it until we persuade her that we're serious about doing this and then there's no guarantee that she'll believe us until the first plan is underway."

Ben had been working on his computer for the last five hours straight when Saxton slid into a chair beside him. "How's it going?" She asked her voice soft and soothing, as she knew that was what he needed right then.

"Good. I'm making better progress than expected, actually. I remembered about a worm I already started on a couple of years ago to retrieve certain information from the watchers database; so I've just got to make some changes which should be done by tomorrow night." It was then that Ben noticed how quiet it was. There was only the faintest of immortal presence in the house and it made him ask. "Everyone gone home?"

"No. They're all going to be crashing here until this is all over. They've just nipped out to collect some clothes for Samantha then Samantha and Romona are going to be taking over the spare room while Conner is going to be sharing with David."

A mocking frown was suddenly on Ben's face and once Saxton saw it a grin appeared on hers. "And David agreed to that?" 

"Well not at first, but after I refused to let him share with Samantha, he reluctantly agreed." Saxton soon had a twinkle in her eyes as she remembered the protest that David had kicked up.

"I think we have to worry about Samantha and David." Ben sighed. "David seemed to be getting, how could I say this? Slightly more attached then platonically possible and Samantha had always been attracted to Duncan and it seemed to have flowed over to David as well."

"To be honest, if David was older I'd give them my blessing." Saxton sheepishly admitted. "But he's only sixteen years old. If she could wait until he's eighteen or even better twenty, then I'll be happy."

"If you think about it though David's got the knowledge of a four hundred plus year old man inside his head, maybe he's responsible enough to have a relationship with Samantha." Ben didn't know why he seemed to be on David and Samantha's side; it was just his point of view on the matter.

"He may have to knowledge of a four hundred plus year old man but he himself is only sixteen years old. If anything, the incident with Jodie proves he's not ready."

"Ok, you win!" Ben said playfully, smiling for the first time in hours.

"How would you feel like taking a break and get something to eat if you're so far ahead?"

"You have some of the greatest ideas ever."

"Oh and don't I know it!" Saxton smiled teasingly at Ben, almost burst out laughing when he suggestively raised his eyebrows. "Oh, one more thing before we go." Saxton suddenly remembered the reason she had come to see Ben in the first place.

"What's wrong?"

"What happens if the person Hestia was talking about turns up before we persuade Hestia to change her mind?"

"Then we'll deal with it when or if it happens."

"Ben, I'm getting a really bad feeling about this. It feels like… I don't know it just feels like Hestia hasn't finished manipulating us yet."

"I know and I feel the same way. But Sax, I promise I will do everything in my power to protect you and David."

"I know you will Ben and that's what scares me." 

"It's going to be alright." Ben made a promise he wasn't sure he would be able to keep but knew he would do anything to keep it. "Come on let go for dinner."

"Ok!"

Later on that night Samantha, Saxton, David and Conner were all seated around the spare bedroom discussing all that had been laid out for them in their meeting after what they assumed was Hestia temporary demise. 

"So what do you think Ben will plan for our first strike?" Conner asked, as he seemed to one that was most uncomfortable with the plan that had been decided upon. 

"Well if it's anything like when Kronos wanted to get the horsemen back together it will more then likely be a small bomb to kill a few and then gradually bigger bombs until one hell of a lot of people will get killed." David threw in using some of his memories from Duncan to try and work out what Bens plan was going to be.

"You don't sound that bothered about that! The Duncan I remember would have done anything to prevent that from happening." Conner's brow scrunched up in confusion at David's attitude.

David face turned crimson and anger quickly took over all the features on his face. "Well that's the thing isn't it? I'm not Duncan. Duncan is dead thanks to YOU." 

Conner was shocked. This was the first time that Duncan's death had been discussed between them and he was surprised at how angry David was about what he had done, although he couldn't blame him if he was honest to himself. "I'm sorry." Conner almost whispered, as he got to his feet ready to flee the room as fast as possible.

David closed his eyes for a moment and breathed out trying to calm himself as he knew he had to discuss this at some point and discussing it while he was angry was not the right time. "Conner, wait."

Conner stopped, his hand on the door handle as David spoke up his voice shaking slightly from all the emotions, which were going through him at the moment.

"We have to discuss this at some point and if we're going to be sharing a bedroom for a while we may as well get it out of the way now."

"Only if you're sure. I know you need some time to think about things and I'll give you whatever time you need."

"No, we'll talk now."

"Ok."

"I think it would be best if we left you two to talk alone." Samantha stood up and motioned for Romona to leave the room with her, which then left Conner and David to talk before either of them could protest.

They were just walking into the living room when they bumped into Saxton and Ben.

"Hey guys." Saxton smiled although it was slightly forced as her mind was still slightly on the conversation, she and Ben had just had moments before regarding the bad feelings they were having.

"Hi! We're nipping out for something to eat, you interested in coming along?" Sam smiled back and started towards the front door.

"No we've already eaten, we were just popping up to see how things between David and Conner are going." Ben laughed slightly at Samantha and Romona eagerness to get something to eat.

"Oh. I really don't think it's going to be a good time for you to see how there doing." Samantha admitted sheepishly.

"What do you mean?" Saxton asked puzzled.

"Well they're talking."

"Talking? Talking about what?"

"About what happened to Duncan?"

"Oh, well I think we better leave them to it then and hope that they don't do bodily harm to one another."

"Ben, it'll be alright." Samantha reassured him when she noted the hesitation in his voice.

"I hope so. I truly do." 


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two

Conner and David sat in silence after Samantha and Romona had left not knowing where to start the conversation that they both knew, they had to have. The silence grew until it felt like every sound came leaping out at them echoing through the quiet room pleading for them to break the void.

"So" Conner finally spoke when the silence finally got too much for him.

"What is it you would like me to say?" David's voice crocked as he tried to hide as much anger from his voice as possible. "Do you want me to say that I forgive you and that everything will go back to how it was before you killed Duncan? Forgiveness has never been an issue for me. I understand that you couldn't help doing what Hestia made you do. There's no need for forgiveness as there was nothing you did that you could have prevented."

"But I should have been able to resist!"

"No you couldn't have, Conner. I've been through the same thing, remember. When I killed Richie. I know that it is extremely hard, if not impossible to resist. All I really have to say is that I understand why you did what you did and I don't hold it against you."

"Well you should! After all, what I did to you was unforgivable."

"What just because you killed me?" David had to hold back the flat laugh that tried to escape his throat. "No Conner, I have felt how you feel now and it's no good. Wallowing in self-pity will only manage to get you killed. Just think about that for a second and remember what affect that had on Saxton when Duncan was killed. She killed herself for god sake just to get revenge. The regret she carried around thinking that I didn't know that she had forgiven me when I always knew she did deep down. Do you want that to happen to me?" David paused for a second, taking deep breaths trying to calm the raging anger that was building within him.

"Do you want me to live with the regret of not telling you how I feel? To carry around that regret until it eats away at me until there's nothing left but an empty shell looking for revenge?"

"You know that's not what I want."

"Then why won't you accept that there's nothing to forgive?"

"BECAUSE WHAT I DID WAS UNFORGIVABLE." Conner shouted then quickly regretted it. Calming down he quietly continued. "I killed my student. My Brother. My Friend."

"So did I! God I'm starting to think Dad's right. That it is just the stubbiness of Scots that prevent them from understanding something what's right in front of their faces."

"How can you say that?" Conner asked in disbelief.

"Because it's true, Conner. I'm telling you that there's nothing to forgive and you are too stubborn to accept that fact."

"I'm sorry, David."

"Don't be sorry. Accept the facts so we can concentrate on surviving this little game of Hestia's. If we can get through this then maybe there will be plenty of time for us to talk and work this out properly."

"I'll try."

"Well at least that's a start. Come on lets go see if we can find the others."

"They've gone out."

"How do you know that?" David asked as he scrunched up his forehead in confusion.

"I can't fell their presences." Conner replied in a matter of fact tone of voice.

"Oh the buzz. God I miss that early warning system."

Conner burst out laughing just then coursing David to once again look at him in confusion.

"What?" David asked innocently.

"You. It's. It's just that after the way you've been talking I almost forgot that you were still just a sixteen-year-old lad. Then you come out and say something like that."

"Is that it? Just the fact that I started to act my age and not the age of my soul?"

"Yes!"

"Well I've got to get some advantages from been stuck like this."

"I can see your point."

With that the friendship that they thought to be lost after Duncan's death seemed to take its first step at been restored. With joking and laughter the pair left the room a little bit more comfortable with each other's presence.

Ben sat once again in front of the computer screen as he put the finishing touches to the worm that was crucial in enabling them to get the money together so plan would work. The plan was almost a week in front thanks to Ben's possession of a worm and if all went as planed once again within the next few hours he, Samantha and Romona would start hacking their way into the computers of some of the most powerful companies throughout the world and implanting the worm and setting it off to do it's job. 

The temper of the group of friends was stretched almost to breaking already as Ben had decided it would be best for the group to remain isolated inside the same three bedroom house that he, Saxton and David called home.

Out of all the people he would have expected to start biting at one another he would not have chosen Samantha, Saxton and Romona. Having been friends for the longest amount of time if you did not count Conner and David/Duncan's friendship he was surprised at how they seemed to pick arguments over the slightest of things.

One minute they were all having a pleasant conversation and the next there was a blazing row taking place for what seemed like the most innocent thing.

David and Conner had tried playing peacemaker but having three angry women glare at you was enough to make Death run for the hills as Ben found out as he tried to interfere when he had taken a fifteen minute break from the computer to grab a bite to eat. 

Rubbing his eyes as he saved the modifications to the worm he had just made Ben leaned back into his chair and sighed in relief. It was finally finished. 

The door to the office squeaked open and Saxton slowly walked in not wanting to distract him if he was still busy working.

"How's it going?"

"I've finished. Where are Samantha and Romona?"

"I've got them starting dinner. You want to start straight away because I could always get Conner to give me a hand with dinner while you three get to work."

"No, there's no hurry. Why don't we go relax for a bit before I have to spend god knows how long in front of the computer, again?"

"Ok!" Saxton smiled at Ben; a glint in her eye that he knew all to well.

"What's going on?" Ben asked slightly unsure whether he really wanted to know the answer to that question.

"You'll see. Come on." Saxton quickly turned around and exited the room. Ben shook his head and left the room following Saxton down the hall and into the sitting room where he found Conner and David deeply focused on a game of chess.

"How many games have they played?" Ben asked Saxton as he slipped his arms around her waist. 

The warmth of his body pressed against her back was almost too much of a distraction but when she felt his breath on her neck she couldn't help but shiver. "Just this one. I've never seen David take this long to beat someone at chess before."

"It's not surprising he seemed so natural at chess now that I think about it. He's got the memories of Duncan and then I'm been teaching him more things about chess since he was five."

"Yeah I never saw it like that before, but still shouldn't he be able to beat Conner pretty easily with all you've taught him?"

"He can but he's toying with him!" Ben whispered smirking as he noticed some of the moves that could have been made but David was obviously playing a sneaky game.

"Why would he do that?" 

"I think he's trying to teach Conner a lesson in not underestimating him. Think about it Duncan had lived for over four hundred years and had to earn Conner's respect, while David is a sixteen year old who just happens to have Duncan's memories. David wants to show Conner that there is more to him then just the memories of Duncan. He's showing that to Conner now. Duncan once told me that the one thing that he could never best his teacher at was chess. David is showing him that he can."

"Oh!" Saxton turned back towards the game in front of her and continued to watch as David moved his queen into a position ready to claim Conner's bishop. "Why isn't Conner noticing what he's doing?" Saxton whispered as she continued to watch.

"My guess is because he's not expecting the honourable Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod to play this dirty. He seems to keep forgetting that I've been David's father since he was two. I've convinced him that there's no honour if you're dead and finally got round that stupid chivalrous streak Duncan always had."

"In other words you've warped his mind to how you want him to think."

"Hey it's all for the best." Ben shot back at her in false hurt.

"I know and he knows too. From what he told me this morning about his and Conner's conversation last night it's done some good as well. Can you believe that he called Conner a stubborn Scot?"

Ben couldn't help it; he burst out laughing so loud that even Samantha and Romona came in from the kitchen to find out what was so funny. Conner's face showed his annoyance at their game of chess been interpreted while David just looked puzzled at his parents.

"What's so funny?" Samantha asked as she noticed that Ben was the only one laughing while the Conner and David looked confused or angry, while Saxton was clear having a hard time keeping a smirk off her face as she tried to put on a look of pure innocence on her face without much success.

"It was nothing." Saxton tried to get everyone's mind off Ben's sudden burst of laughter. "How's dinner coming?"

"Dinner's fine and it wasn't nothing. Ben what was so funny?" Samantha asked looking between the still laughing Ben and the guilty looking Saxton.

Finally calming himself down slightly he managed to respond to Samantha's question. "It… It was just something Saxton said." 

"Oh, really and what was it that Saxton said that had you almost rolling around the floor with tears of laughter dripping down your face?"

"She was just telling me about the finer points of how stubborn a certain immortal could be and how someone pointed that out to said immortal."

Conner looked over at David to find that his face had suddenly grown a brilliant shade of crimson. "You? You told Saxton about what we talked about?"

"Well she can understand what I'm going through plus she is my mum!"

"No. Don't worry David I'm not annoyed that you discussed it with her, it's just taken me slightly by surprise. Duncan would never have discussed something like that with anyone else. He would have kept everything to himself."

"Yeah, well I'm not Duncan!" David said slight anger dripping from his voice.

"David I'm not saying it's a bad thing, in fact I'd say it was a good thing."

"Oh, ok!" David was still slightly annoyed that Conner still refused to acknowledge that Duncan and David are two separate people.

"Come on, let's finish this game or we'll be here all night. I believe it was your turn to move."

"Yes I believe it was." David smirked and made his move the looked up smirking at Conner. 

"Checkmate!" 


End file.
